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j3h' \^>D3-H-7 



Tk gi|t o\ 



WILLIAM ENDICOTT JB. 



ggC HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY^^ 




I . 



V ;- 




-») 



LONDON! 
JOHN EBEBS AND CO. OLD BOND STREET. 



^( 



VW \ 5* I 3 ■ f 



& 



' JAf;.2 1918 *■ 

i} Jilt 4^ 



C. WHITTINGHAM, GHISWICK. 



.2} 



CONTENTS. 



▼OL. II. 



Chaptbr I. Manoertoh. 

GffiDBB. — Leahy,Picket| and Mountain Mahooy .— Aicent 
of the Mountain. — Sketch of " a Kerry Dragoon."— 
Criticism on Weld.— The Bevirs Punch Bowl.^View 
from Mangerton described. — Cowm na Coppul, or the 
Glen of the Horse. — Legend of Billy Thompson and 
his Cow.— Page 1 to 82. 



Chapter II. The Village Fair. 

Hint for Travellers about to ascend Mangerton. — Paddy 
Glissane's Public House at Cloghereen.— The Fair 
Ground.— Sketch of a Meeting.— A Tent.— << Affidavit 
Men.'' — Dispute between Shoemaker and Brogue 
Maker.— *' Paddy Connor the Jobber." — Legend of 
the Charm, — ^The Minehan and Donoghue Factions. — 
Sketch of the Parting. — An agreeable Letter. — Page 
23 to 40. 

Chapter III. The Stag Hunt. 

Doolan and the Waiter in Argument. — Killamey on the 
Morning of a Stag Hunt. — Embarkation at Ross. — Mr. 
O'Conneirs Barge. — Arrival in Dinis Pool.— Passing 
the Rapids under old Weir Bridge. — ^Assemblage to 
see the Hunt— The Chase.— The Stag taken.— Irish 
Oratory. — Return. — The Stag freed .— lunisfallen. — 
Glen^ by Mooal^ht. — Legend of Aiieen a Roon. — 



IT CONTENTS. 



Arrival at Ross. — Anti-musical Magistrates. — Up 
Street and Down Street. — The Barry and Leary Fac- 
tions. — Page 41 to 59. 



Chapter IV. A Sunday in Killarney. 

The Church Bell.— First Mass.— Sketch of the Chapel 
Door. — Sketch of the Hurlers and the Priest — Har- 

^ vest Weather. — Legend of the Blessed Cake. — The 
Church and the Clergymen. — A Protestant Lady 
Kenmare. — New Lights.— ^Mary Minehan's Conver- 
sion. — Sunday Morning Conversation. — Churchwar- 
dens. — Election* and Predestination. — Page 60 to 75. 



Chapter V. Funerals and Wakes. 

Singular Mendicant. — Notions of a Future State. — Plan 
for an economical Wake. — A Dinner at Garden 
Cottage. — Ude. — Sketches illustrative of Irish Wakes 
and Funerals. — Account of a Child's Wake. — Legend 
of Tom Coghlan and the little Red Cap. — Page 76 
to 99. 

Chapter VI. The Lake of Killbran. 

Sketches of Oorham's Eagles. — Mrs. Falvey's Freeholds. 
— Lord Kenmare's Park. — Mr. Cronin's. — Lake of 
Killbran. — Legend of Loch Bran, or the Lake of the 
Burning Cole.-^Page 100 to 118. 

Chapter VII. Ahahunnig. 

Spa of Tullig. — Sketch of a Female Peasant. — Tiema- 
bowl. — The Hanging Tree. — The Mac Sweenies. — 
Legend of the White Maiden of Tiernabowl. — The 
Druids' Circle. — Legend of Donald Egeelagh. — Lamp- 
light in Killarney. — Christening an Island. — Miss 
Plummer's Island.— Page 119 to 139. 



i 



CONTENTS* V 

Chapter VIII. Loch RnrANE* 

View of the* Lower Lake. — Lough Ardagh. — A Kerry 
College described.— Song of ** Mister Byrne." — The 
Road to Loch Kittane. — Loch Kittane. — Kippoch 
Legend Hunting.— Sketch of the Interior of a Cabin 
at Feeding Time. — An Irish Love Song. — Verses to 
Loch Kittane.— Page 140 to 157. 

Chapter IX. Phuadown. 

J>efinition of the word Glen. — Killaha Castle. — New 
and old lines of Road.— The Doctor. — Exterior of a 
Whiskey Shop. — Daniel O'Donoghne. — Interior of a 
Whiskey Shop. >— Sketch of Hunted Excisemen. — 
Description of Olanflesk. — Waterfalls.— Philadown. 
— Labi|pOwen. — Account of Owen the* Outlaw. — 
Sketch of his Capture.— The River Flesk.— Kindness 
of the, Glensters. — Inch House. — The Invitation 
accepted.— Page 158 to 178. 

Chapter X. A Night in the Oijins. 

Description of Daniel 0'Donoghue*s Cabin. — Arrival of 
the Company. — Sketch of Jig Dancers and Piper. — 
Legend of the Wizard of Dingle. — An Irish Night* 
cap.— Page 179 to 195. 

Chapter XL The Return. 

The Morning Walk. — Wordsworth. — Sayings and 
Doings. — Mountain Torrent at Crohane. — Breakfast 
in Daniel O'Donoghue^s Cabin. — Farewell to 61an'> 
flesk.— Killaha Castle. — Father O'Reily* — Monu- 
mental Inscriptions. — A Recruiting Party. — Quarters 
at the Inn occupie(|. — English Gentlemen. — Geology 
of Mncruss. — Law Case.— Gandsey. — Irish Melodies 
and Whiskey Punch. — "The Step of the Glens." — 
" The Eagle's Whistle."—" Lamentations for Myles 
O'Reilly the Slasher."— "The Widow's Lamentation." 
Gandsey's Song on Killarney.— Page 196 to 223. 



▼i COMTBMW. 

Chapter XII. Thb Departure. 

The Weather Fish of Killanie7Chiirch.^Amyal of the 
Tralee Mail Coach. — Preparations for Starting^— 
Departure.— The Coach stopped.— Mr. I^ynch's Packet. 
— A Rillarney Bank Note. — Farewell to RiUamey^ — 

. Acknowledgment of the Editor's Obligations. — Letter 
from Mr. Lynch, commenting on the Proof Sheets sent 
him. — Pamphlet on Mary Minehan's Case. — Letter 
from Gandsey.— Conclusion.'— Page 224 to 243. 



• • 



LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 



CHAPTER I. 



MANGERTON. 

"Mangeeton — Mangerton — what's the mat- 
ter V I muttered^ as starting from my sleep I 
beheld Mr. Lynch at my bedside. 

'^ Mangerton — Mangerton/' said he, '^ a fine 
morning for Mangerton, you have not a mo- 
ment to'lose; the climate is so uncertain that 
though the mountain is clear now, it may in 
a short time be covered with a huge cloudy 
nightcap— so up and away." 

Dressing myself in all haste, I bustled down 
stairs, contrived to bustle through a tolerable 
breakfast, ordered horses, and was about to 
bustle off with Mr. Lynch for the mountain^ 
when two or three ino-runners stood before 

VOL. II. B 



^ LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

US, with rather more imposing appearance than 
that of apparitions^ generally speakings and 
began to contend for the appointment of 
" guide to his honour's honour.*' 

^^ I'm his honouf's guide/' said Leahy ; 
*' didn't his honour promise to take me to 
Mangerton with him^ and sure 'tisn't back of 
his word you'd have the gentleman be going?" 

" 'Tis me his honour w^ill have/' said Picket, 
'^ so you may just as well not be bothering the 
gentleman, long life to him." 

" Fakes, then, and indeed he won't do no 
such thing," said Mountain Mahony ; " his 
honour knows well enough it was f. bespoke 
Mangerton, the very first day his honour came 
to Killarney; and sure 'tis I that have, as I 
ought, the best right to the mountain any 
how." 

** Picket," said I, " you know that I pro- 
mised to take Leahy ; therefore, Leahy, for^ 
ward if you please." 

" Well/' said Mountain Mahony, heaving a 
deep sigh as we moved on, " well, did you 
ever know the likes of that, and I, after waiting 
so long for him ?" 

After leaving the village of Cloghereen, we 



MANGERTON. S 

turaed to the left, and pursued a narrow road 
which, passing close to the mill pond, led up 
the base of the mountain ; this road, however, 
we soon abandoned for a mountain path that 
struck off to the right, and shortly brought us 
to the foot of the steep ascent, up which our 
horses managed to climb by a sort of rude 
track that ran along the bank of a ravine, 
which had been the bed of a torrent, almost 
until we arrived at the DeviPs Punch bowl. 

On our ascent, and his descent^ we met one 
of that class of peasants, termed in the country 
'^ Kerry dragoons,'* who, seated in a most ex« 
traordinary manner between his baskets, which 
each contained a firkin of butter, galloped 
fearlessly down the mountain, without seeming 
to have the smallest apprehension for his neck. 
Mere he is, as he passed us, singing, 

^< Arrah, Thady, you gander, 

YouVe like a highlander, 
For want of the breeches — for want of the breeches*. 

Take a gun in your fist, 

Man, His better go list, 
Thaft be mending old ditches — a mending old ditches. 

* A kind of half pantaloon, commonly worn by the 
Irish peasantry, and, properly, by people of all nations 
at Almacks, and elsewhere. It appears to be a rhyme 
of which Mr. Lutterell is ignorant. 



4 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

" A shilling a day, 

Failh, 'U3 mighty fine pay, 
lis double a Uster — 'tia double a tester ; 

With a bagnet and gun, 

To fire out of fiui, 
Oh,theking'3abraveninis(«r — theking'sabraTemoiifer.'" 

" HuTTOO hod!''' — And away he went. 



I have slated that each basket contained a 
firkin of butter; and, upon this subject, Mr. 
Weld Bays he " was informed hy a friend, that 
when he first visited Kerry, at which period 
improvement and civilization were in their in- 
fancy, it was very usual to see a cask of butler 



MANGEBTON. 5 

on one side, and a large stone on the other to 
balance it; but it has since been discovered 
that one cask is the best counterpoise to 
another, and every horse is now doubly laden/* 
— Very true, indeed ! — but did Mr. Weld think 
of asking how people were to manage who 
had only one cask to take to market i 

Dismounting from our horses, we gave them 
in charge to a mountaineer, of whom several 
had followed us in the expectation of reward 
for any accidental employment, each assuring 
us that he, and he alone, was the true ** man 
of the mountain.*' We then proceeded to 
examine the DeviPs Punch bowl, a mountain 
lake, remarkable only for its depth, the coldness 
of its water, and a certain small but tremulous 
echo. Climbing the southern side of '^ the 
bowl," which is the highest paft of Mangerton, 
we passed by a spot where hones are dug for 
and found, and from thence advanced, by the 
summit of the mountain, to the eastern verge 
of the lake. 

" Here's a scene for description !" said Mr. 
Lynch — " the Guide Book — the Guide Book. 
Now, gentle reader, that's the way to com- 
mence the paragraph for the top of Mangerton 



LEGENDS OF THE XAKES. 

Mountain-^Nowy gentle reader^ look to the 
south, and tell me if here is not a noble pros* 
pect ? the river Kenmare, that huge arm of 
the ocean, stretching itself for miles and miles 
between those blue hills that rush down to 
its very edge, as if they meant to kick it out 
of its channel. See how its waves glitter in 
the bright sun-beams, which have struggled 
through that heavy cloud ; and do but observe 
those islands which dot its broad bosom, like 
the beauty spots on your fair lady's cheek.*' 

" Pooh, pooh, Lynch." 

<' Oh, I am not to be silenced in this man- 
ner," said that gentleman. '^ Look to the 
west, if you please, and behold Ireland's boast, 
and Kerry's wonder — the beautiful Lakes of 
Killarney — mark that river winding its course 
among the mountains, from lake to lake, and 
uniting the wide-spread grandeur of the one 
with the compressed charms of the other. And 
there behold Lord Brandon's round tower, at 
the head of the Upper Lake. Behold the sea 
of mountains rolling their rugged waves to the 
east and to the west. One might really fancy 
that the country which we view had been a 
stormy sea, struck by the mighty wand of a 



MANGERTON. 7 

magiciaa^ and fixed for ever. And then the 
little mountain lakes, how they sparkle over 
this waste, like stars in the gloomy firmament." 

^* And this is the style you recommend for 
my Guide Book ?" 

*' Well," said Mr. Lynch, " if I was not 
the best tempered fellow in the world, I should 
really feel annoyed. But as I have taken the 
trouble to ascend Mangerton this morning to 
be showman to your honour, it is not fair to 
put me out thus in my description— one sen- 
tence more shall finish it. Look to the north, 
and behold the white smoke of the tpwn of 
Killarney, with a green hill behind it, and the 
blue and distant mountains of Tralee shutting 
up the scene with their vast, cloudy and dim^ 
discovered forms." 

" Thank you very much. Lynch. The litho- 
graphic panorama of the lakes, by Major 
O'Donnell, faded into insignificance before 
your coup d*osil — but this is a matter which 
you military heroes appear particularly to 
study "*« We now stand on the ridge which 

* See a very interesting note by Major Ludlow Beamish, 
on his translation of Bismark's Cavalry Tactics.* p. 5. 



8 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

forms the eastern verge of the DeviPs Punch 
bowl : pray \i hat is this glen beneath us called ? 
Though a work of danger, I should like to 
descend." 

'^ It is called Cowm na Coppul, or the Gien 
of the Horse,** replied Mr. Lynch ; ** but be- 
fore you proceed to explore it, let me recom- 
mend a sandwich, after which I will detain 
you five minutes while I read you a story, the 
scene of which being placed in the Horse's 
Glen, may perhaps rend^ your visit more 
interesting.^' 

To both these proposals I readily assented ; 
a few sandwiches were produced, we sat down, 
and, after their disappearance, Mr. Lynch 
commenced his story of 

BILLY THOMPSON AND HIS COW. 

** There was once a poor man who rented a 
few stony acres on a little hill at the foot of 
Mangerton Mountain, in the kingdom of Kerry. 
Now the kingdom of Kerry, and the great 
mountain of Mangerton, with the Devil's 
Punch bowl on the top of it, are as well 



MANGERTON. 9 

known as any other wonder in the world ; but 
the wonderful adventures of Billy Thompson 
(for this was the name of the poor man I have 
mentioned) and his cow, being as little known 
as if they never occurred, I will now record 
them to the confusion of all who are so hardy 
as to doubt the power of the good people. 

'^ You must know then, that Billy was a 
little fellow, about five feet nothing high, and 
as smart and as tight a boy was he as any man 
of his inches, no matter who the other is. And 
what was better than all this, Billy was a very 
industrious^ hard-working lad ; and, by the same 
token, a very good proof he gave of it, for his 
bit of ground, when he got it, was powdered 
all over with huge stones, so that a weasel 
could hardly thrust his snout between them; 
and over these again there was a thick coat of 
furze, so that the whole place looked for all 
the w^orld like a great green hedgehog. But 
fiilly had a long lease and a short rent, so he 
went to work with all his might and main, 
and burned the furze, and made fences of the 
stones, and built himself a cabin on the top 
of the bill, and a mighty bleak place it was to 



10 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

build it on. However Billy didn't much mind 
that^ for if he had a little body, he had a great 
soul^ and scorned to be looked down upon by 
any one; besides^ Wwas fond of a prospect; 
and if he was, he had k to -his hearths content* 

'' No sooner had Billy Thompson his bit of 
land cleared, his potatoes sown, and his cabin 
builtj than He began to^ithink it was high time 
to look for a wife. Before long he was married 
to Judy Donoghue of Glanflesk, who got a 
good fortune from her father, it being no less 
than a featherbed, six rush- bottomed chairs^ 
an iron pot, a settle- bed, a collop of sheep, a 
maol cow, and a pig, though there was great 
fauxtering about this last matter, and the match 
was broken off at least six times on accouut of 
it; but Billy stood out stoutly for the pig, till 
the old man gave in at last, and so they were 
married. 

'* It's an old saying, and a true one, that 
^ there are more married than keep good 
houses/ as Billy soon found to his cost; for 
Judy was very prolific,, presenting him occa* 
sionally with two youngsters at a time, till at last 
it was said of Billy, as of the wren, ^ although 



'^-^ - 



MANGBRTON* 1 1 

he's littlcy his family's great' Now it hap- 
pened unfortunately for Billy^ that while Judy 
was increasing his family^ one misfortune after 
another was decreasing his stock ; his sheep 
died of the rot^ and bis pig got the measles^ so 
that he w as obliged to sell it for little or nothing. 
' Well/ said Billy^ who was a good-humoured 
fellow^ and wished to make the best of every 
thing ; ' Well, it can't be helped, so (here's no 
use in breaking one's heart, ^nd any how, we 
can't want the drop of milk to our praties as 
long as the Maol cow's left to comfort us/ 
The words were hardly out of his mouth, when 
Paddy Kennely came running up to tell him 
that the Maol cow was clifted in the Horse's 
Glen ; for Billy, you must know, had sent 
his cow that very morning to graze on the 
mountain. 

<**Och! Ullagoner cried Bill, ' what'll we 
do now at all, we're ruined for ever and a day. 
Och^ Maol 1 how could you be such a cruel 
unnatural baste^ as to clift yourself, you that I 
fought was as cunning as a christian, when you 
knowed as well as myself that we couldn't do 
without you at all ; for sure enough the childer 
will be crying for the drop of milk to their 



12 l5:gends of the lakes, 

vraties; and Judy 11 leech the life out of me 
for sending you to the mountain^ and she agin 
it all along/ 

** Such was Bill Thompson's lament^ as, with 
a sorrowful heart, he made the best of his way 
to the Horse's Glen, intending to get the hide 
of his clifted cow, and conceal the carcass 
under some rock, until he could borrow a horse 
to bring it home ; for, thought he, ^ 'tis better 
to have something than nothing, and there'll be 
a good price got for the skin surely, and the 
mate^ll make fine broth for the grawls any 
how.' 

**The sun was riding high by the time he got 
into the Glen, and then it took him some space 
before he could find where the poor beast was 
lying, but at last he did find her, all smashed 
to pieces at the foot of a big rock. * Worse, 
and worse ! there'll be hardly any thing got for 
the skin, and the mate*s scarcely worth a 
thraneen (a straw), but where is the use to 
make bad worse ? said Billy ; and he began to 
skin the cow as fast as he could, but having no 
one to lend him a hand, by the time the job 
was finished, the sun had gone down. A faint 
light, however, still streaked the top of the 



MANOERTON. 13 

oaountain, while the hollow of Cown na Coppul 
was thrown into d^ep shadow by the rocky 
precipices which enclosed it; a low wind 
murmured a]ong the dark breast of the fathom- 
less pool^ which lay in the bottom of thisi 
fuonntain valley^ and its waters answered to 
the night breeze with a deep and hollow growl, 
93 the black waves rolled sluggishly against 
their bounds. From the south-eastern verge 
of the water, the mountain rose steep and ab* 
rupt, but made a somewhat wider sweep to the 
west ; so that in this place there was a marshy, 
plain between the pool, and the wall-like hill, 
which towered above it ; this plain was strewed 
all over with huge gray rocks, that looked in 
the dim twilight like so many spectres. 

'^ Now, Billy Thompson was so intent on hi^. 
job, that he did not perceive the lapse of time ; 
but, when his work was finished, he raised his 
head, and looking about, was surprised at the 
lateness of the hour ; and when he heard the 
murmuring wind, mingled with the hoarse rep] j 
of the dark and sluggish pool, multiplied as 
these sounds w^re by a thousand hill-born 
echoes, hishea^t failed him, for his imagination 
converted these sounds into the aerial whisper- 



14 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

ings of the fanciful beings, with which his feaf^ 
had already peopled the recesses of the gray 
and shadowy rocks which surrounded him. 
All the tales he had ever heard> of the Pooka, 
the Banshee, and the little red-capM mischiavous 
fairy, floated through his mind ; when, by an 
effort expecting to end his fears, he suddenly 
snatched a tuft of grass, wiped his knife, and 
seized hold of the reeking hide, intending to 
make the best of his way out of the Glen. 

'' It is well known, that a four-leaved sham- 
rock has the power .to open a man's eyes to all 
sorts of enchantment, and it so happened, that 
there was one in the little tuft of grass, with 
which Billy had wiped his knife. Whether 
from grief, or fear, or from both together, I 
know not; but iqstead of throwing it away, he 
put the grass into his pocket along with the 
knife ; and when he turned to take a last lin^- 
gering look at the carcass of .his cow, he beheld, 
il^stead of his poor Maol, a little old curmud-' 
ge(» sitting bolt upright, and looking as if he 
had just been flayed alive. If Billy was fright* 
ened at the sight, it was still worse with him 
when the little fellow called after him in a shrill 
squeaking voice, ^ Bill Thompson ! Bill Thomp- 



MANOERTON. 15 

80d! you spalpeeii^ you'd better come back with 
my skin ; a pretty time of day we're come to, 
when a gentleman like me, can't take a bit of 
a sleepy but an Ounshaugh of a fellow must 
com^ and strip the hide off him ; but you'd 
better bring it back Bill Thompson, or I'll 
make you remember how you have dared to 
skin me, you spalpeen/ 

" Now, Billy Thompson, though he was 
greatly frightened at first, had a stout heart of 
his own in him ; so he began to muster up his 
courage, for he saw it was a clear case, that his 
Maol cow was carried away by the good people, 
and he thought if he was stiff with the little 
curmudgeon, he might, may be, get her back 
again ; besides if the worst came to the worst, 
he thought he could safely defy him, as he had 
a black handled knife in his pocket, and who- 
ever has that, 'tis said, may look all the ghosts 
and fairies in the world full in the face, without 
quaking. Billy Thompson therefore took 
heart, and seeing there was a civil distanc^Se- 
tween them, he began to discourse the little 
fellow ; at the same time, however, keeping 
his hand on the black handled knife for fear of 
accidents. 



l6 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

*( i Why tben^ jour honour, if it's the skin 
you're after waQting, you must kuow it's the skio 
of my poor Maol cow, that was clifted yooder 
there; the Lord rest her sowlj for a better 
baste never walked on four legs/ 'tis a long day 
till I see the likes of her again ; and sore and 
sorrowful the childer will be for the want of 
her little drop of milk ; but it can't be helped^ 
and there's no use in talking ; so God be wid 
your honour, any how ;' said Billy, as he pre- 
tended to take his departure. 

u i Why then, is that what you'd be after, 
Billy ma boughiir^ (my boy); said the little 
imp, at the same time jumping before bim 
wilh the speed of a greyhound ; * do you think. 
I'm such a gomal as to let you walk off with 
my skin, without so much as ^ by your lave?* 
But ril tell you what it is ; if you don^t drop 
it in the turn of a hand, you'll sup sorrow may 
be.'— 

'' ' Badershin !' said Billy, at the same time^ 
drawing out his black handled knife, and putting 
himself in a posture of defence ; ' may be you 
willj but the never a one of me will give you 
the skin, till you give me back my Maol cow ; 
for don't 1 know well enough that she wasn't 



MANGERTON. 1? 

clifted at all, at all, and that you, and the 
breed of you, have got hould of her/ 

*' * You'd better keep a civil tongue in your 
head any how,' said the little fellow, who 
seemed to get quite soft at the sight of the 
knife, * and how do you know but I'd befriend 
you ? for you're a stout fellow, Bill Thompson, 
and I've taken a fancy to you ; so if you'd just 
be after giving me the skin, I don't say but I 
might get you the cow again.' 

** ^ Thank ye kindly for the loan of your 
pickaxe,' said Billy, winking slily; 'give me 
the cow first, and then I will.' 

" * Well, there she's for you, you unbelieving 
hound !' said the little imp. — And for certain, 
what would he hear, but his Maol cow screech- 
ing behind him for the bare life ; for he knew 
the screech of her among a thousand ; and 
when he looked behind, what should he see 
but his cow sure enough, running over the 
rocks and stones, with a long spansel hanging 
to one of her legs, and four little fellows with 
red caps on them, hunting her as fast as they 
could. 

"< There'll be a bit of a battle for her, Billy,' 

VOL. 11. c 



18 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

said the little curmudgeon^ ' there'll be a bit 
.of a battle for her; two of the bo^s that are 
after her, belong to another faction; so do joo 
see, while they are fighting about her, you can 
drive her away fair and easy, and no one will 
be a bit the wiser of it, barring myself-r-but 
rU be no hinderance to you, — and that's more 
than you deserve from me, Billy Tliompson^* 
" * My jewel you are!' said Billy, quite de- 
lighted with the hope of getting his cow again, 
though he was half afraid the little fellow 
intended playing him false, and he didn't much 
believe what he said. Nevertheless it was all 
true enough, for no sooner did the four little 
chaps with the red caps come up with one 
another, than they began to fight In the mean 
time, the Maol cow, finding herself at liberty, 
ran towards Billy, who lost not a moment, but, 
throwing the skin on the ground, seized the cov^ 
by the tail, and began to drive her away as fast 
as he could, 

'< ' Not so fast, Billy,' sadd the little imp, who 
stuck close by his side ; ^ not so fast, Billy, 
for though I gave you the cow, I didn't give 
you the spansel that's hanging to her leg.* 



MANGEBTON. 19 

^^^ A bai^ain's a bargain,^ said BiHy, ' so do 
you see^ as I got it^ I'll keep spaosel and all/ 

^* ^ If you say that again,* said the little imp, 
^ I'll just be after calling the boys that are 
fighting below there, and five to one will be 
more than a match for you, Billy Tbompsoni 
as canning as you think yourself with diat black* 
handled knife. But I don't want to be too 
bard on you, so if you have a mind for the 
spansel^ I'll give you it for the little tuft of 
grass you have in your pocket/ 

** ^ It's done,' said Billy, who by this time had 
got to the top of a cliff, from whence he could 
see his own farm, in the distance, shining in the 
clear moonlight, while directly beneath him^ 
lay the deep hollow of Cown na Coppul, where 
the four red-capped fairies were fighting away 
as fierce as ever the Black hens and Magpies 
fought. Now Billy Thompson was fond of a 
bit of a skirmish, and was sure to be seen at 
the head of his faction on a fair day, when he 
often flourished his stick in triumph. So finding 
himself at a safe distance, he thought it no 
harm to stop a bit, just to see how the good 
people handled a blatkthorn. 

^' If he loved a real battle, there was one that 



£0 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

matched him completely, for th^ glen resounded 
again with the shouts of the fairies, and the 
clash of their sticks. But there was one of the 
little fellows who fought ten times better than 
all the rest, striking double-handed blows right 
and left ; till Billy in the delight of his heart, 
quite forgetting his cow and the necessity of 
silence, shouted as loud as he could, ' Well 
done, redcap ! Here's a Thompson ! here's a 
Thompson for redcap !' The glen echoed with 
the deep tones of his voice, and the astonished 
combatants, looking up, perceived the cause of 
their contention was gone^ and set off at 'full 
speed to recover the cow. 

*' * You're done for now, Billy Thompson/ 
said the little imp, who stood near him, ^ but 
lose no time in giving me the tuft of grass, and 
I'll lend you a lift.' ' There, take it,' said Billy. 
No sooner was it out of his hand, than he 
received a blow, which in a moment dashed him 
to the ground with such force, that he was quite 
stunned. When he came to himself, the suiv 
was shining ; and where should he be but lying 
near the bounds ditch of his own farm, with 
his Maol cow grazing beside him ; and to be 
9urQ be would never have got her again, or havQ 



MANGERTON. 21 

come off so well, if it wasn't for the four-leaved 
shamrock and the black-handled knife. 

^^ Billy Thompson could hardly believe his 
eyes, and thought it was ail a dream, till he 
saw the spansel hanging to his cow's leg ; and 
that was the lucky spansel to him, for, from 
that day out, his cow gave more milk than any 
six cows in the parish ; and Billy began to 
look up in the world, and take farms, and pur- 
chase cattle, till at last he became as rich as 
Darner; but the world would never after get 
him to go to the Horse's Glen. And he never 
passes a fort, or hears a blast of wind, without 
taking off his hat, with a * God save ye, gen- 
tlemen,' in compliment to the good people; 
and 'tis only fitting for him so to do, if there be 
any truth in Moll Bardin, . who told me the 
whole story just as she says it happened, and 
as I have related it." 

'< Oh, I must have this for my Gui'de Book, 
Lynch." 

" It is quite at your service — but as we 
intend returning through the Glen of the 
Horse, we had better despatch a messenger 
with orders to have our steeds taken to the 



s 



22 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

foot of the mountain — and now for our perilous 
descent." 

This we accomplished by sitting and sliding 
down into the hollow of Cown na Coppul, of 
which it becomes unnecessary for me to say 
any thing further, in the way of descrtption, 
after Mr. Lynch's story. 

A toilsome walk brought us to the foot of 
the mountain, where finding our horses, we 
rode towards the village of Cloghereen. 



^^ 



CHAP. II. 



THE VILLAGE FAIR. 



Whoever undertakes to ascend Mangerton 
should be provided with a well stored basket 
of prog; since there a man can get nothing 
to eat but stones, which are rather indigestible 
food, and nothing to drink, but a drop out of 
the Devil's Punch bowl — cold comfortless stuff 
it is ! Now, though we were not quite so foolish 
as to ascend Mangerton without any supply, 
yet the keenness of the mountain air was such, 
that our small stock of provisions soon proved 
rather an insufficient offering to the cravings 
of the inward man ; — ^your little trifling sand- 
wiches are not the thing ; and unless the reader 
takes some more substantial food with him, 
when he proceeds on a similar excursion, I 
stake my reputation as a traveller, on the fact, 
that he will make as much haste to the next 
inn^ as we did to Paddy Glissane's public 
bouse in the village of Cloghereen : there we 
hoped to procure some of that refreshment, 
which the aforesaid Paddy Glissane so hos- 



£4* LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

pitablj offers to all who can afford to pay 
for it. 

To our great disappobtinent, however^ we 
found Paddy's house crowded to excess^ and 
the little peaceful village turned into a scene 
of riot and confusion. It was the fair day ( 
and finding it impossible to gain admittance, 
we were obliged to seek^ in the fair itself, some 
means of allaying our hunger. 

The fair ground consisted of two gentle 
slopes on the public road ; in the hollow be- 
tween, a bridge of rude masonry spanned a 
little stream, which issuing from a large pond, 
dashed over a mill-wheel, and brawled along 
till it entered the demesne of Mucruss. At 
each side of the road was some common ground, 
behind which appeared the straggling cottages 
of the villagers, and over the whole peered the 
gigantic forms of Mangerton and Turk, with 
the wild and variegated woods of Miicruss. 
The road was lined >vith the tables or stands 
of dealers in dillisk, (a dried seaweed of a pink 
colour, and no bad relish it is to a bit of 
bread and butter), fruits, frize, flannel, croo-^ 
beens (Anglice pigs' feet), and, in short, every 
hing necessary for rustic economy and ei^y* 



THE VILLAGE FAIR. 25 

ment; while the common ground was occupied 
by horses, cows, and pigs, with their buyers 
and sellers. 

Here were to be seen groups of giggling 
girls, with their riband-adorned caps and blue 
cloaks; and there whispering matrons with 
their shawled heads : here were men occupied 
in shrewd bargains, with their frize loodies 
(large loose coats), corduroy breeches, and well 
seasoned sticks — sticks not destined long to 
remain inactive ; there a half gentleman — a 
squireen, known by his body coat with brass 
buttons, Caroline hat, and polished boots armed 
with biit one spur : here leaders of opposing 
factions scowled defiance at each other; and 
there may be seen the joyous recognition of 
long-parted gossips. 

'' Oh ! murder! Murty Sullivan, is that you 
this blessed day, every step of the way from 
Kenmare itself, back again to us ?" 

" Tim Ryan, my jewel, and is that you, your 
own self that I see with my two eyes before 
me — if 'twasn't transported I hard you were 
last Tralee 'sizes f Oh \ then 'tis myself is 
glad to see you once mofe. And sure the 
never a part will we part now, till we have 



26 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

juBt one drop U^tber for luck sake. Arrah, 
who tried you, Tim i" 

" Oh, Lynch ! hungry as I am, I mual 
■ketch this meeting, — " 



Under the trees which skirted the entrance 
to the village were several tents, or rather apo- 
logies for tents, constructed by means of long 
wattles bent to a semicircle, both ends of which 
were stuck in the ground, and this frame-work 



THE VILLAGE FAIR. £? 

was covered over with patchwork quilts and 
sheets. At one end stood the porter and 
whisky barrelS) on whose heads were placed 
in most tempting array, jugs and tumblers, 
bread and butter^ salmon, and mutton pies. 

Now I candidly confess — ^shocking as such 
confession may be considered — ^that the steam 
of a smoking cut of curdy salmon, and the smell 
of a piping hot mutton pie did most sensibly 
affect my olfactory nerves; and turning to 
Mr. Lynch, I looked him full in the face, as 
much as to say—" Will you venture in V* 
' Not a word was spoken, but a silent nod of 
the bead satisfied roe that Mr. Lynch was a 
man of profound knowledge in the anatomy of 
expression. We entered the tent, and^ seating 
ourselves in a corner, contrived to appease the 
stings and arrows of outrageous appetite. 

It is certain that a man never feels so 
comfortable, or so much at leisure to make his 
observations on all around, as after a good 
meal; and we therefore began to look about 
us, and to note the company which occupied 
the long table^ at one end of which we were 
quietly sipping our whiskey punch. Towns- 



28 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

people and country-people were mingled t<^e- 
ther, some of whom had business at the fair, 
and others who had no business, save and ex- 
cepting what they considered the very pleasant 
business of getting drunk. These were, for the 
most part, men who had sworn niSt to drink 
spirits in the town of Kiilarney, for a certain 
period more or less as the case might be ; but 
who, notwithstanding, thought it no harm to 
swallow, as long as they were able, tumbler after 
tumbler in the village of Cloghereen. They vvere 
for this reason most constant in their atten- 
dance at every fair ; as well as every funeral to 
the neighbouring Abbey of Mucruss; on which 
latter occasions, after devoutly burying the 
dead, it was usual to repair to honest Paddy 
Glissane's in order to drown their sorrow. And 
certainly they were right, if we consider the 
matter logically thus — 

The oath was, not to drink in the town of 
KillaVney — the village of Cloghereen is not the 
town of Killarney — ergo, it is no infraction of 
the oath, to drink and get drunk in the village 
of Cloghereen. — 

Such is the reasoning of Irbh ** affidavit 



-. ,- -^ J »» 



THE VILLAGE FAIR. 29 

men," as they are called; to which respect- 
able class belonged a shoemaker and a brogue- 
maker, who sat near us at the long table I 
have already mentioned. 

They were hotly disputing the antiquity of 
their respective callings — ^' Where's the use in 
talking/' said the shoemaker, *' wasn't Moses 
the roost ancient man in the world, when he 
was at the burning bush tould to take off his 
shoes ? — you see it wasn't his brogues, but his 
shoes, he was tould to take off — and wasn't 
there kings and princes belonging to us, and 
isn't that the reason we have the crown for a 
sign, and arn't we called Crispins from king 
Crispin, as the ould song has it?" Here he 
began to vociferate 

^* Crispin and Crispanus, both princes of renown, 
Resigned their crowns and kingdoms, and to the gentle 
craft sat down. 
Sing foil loll whack foil foil loll de ree.'' 

To all this the broguemaker replied, that 
there was no hemp in the days of Moses — con- 
sequently the shoes must have been sown with 
a thong, and were therefore not shoes but 
bro^es. And as for Crispin and Crispanus, 



so LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

they might have been broguemakers as well as 
any thing else; for surely the broguemakers 
had a better right to be called the gentle craft 
than the shoemakers. This the shoemaker 
stoutly denied, and the broguemaker as sturdily 
affirmed ; till at length they were on the point 
of coming to blows, when it so chanced that 
^' Paddy Connor the jobber " entered the teot. 
Paddy most goodnaturedly interfered, and with 
some difficulty succeeded in allaying the dispute. 
From Mr. Lynch I learned that Paddy was 
one of those jobbers who live by buying up 
the small mountain cattle, driving them down 
to the plains, and selling them at an advanced 
price. Paddy however had two strings to his 
bow ; for, in addition to his cattle jobbing, he 
had a snug cabin and small farm at Lissinig- 
geen, not far from Killarney. An amusing 
fellow Paddy was, for he could tell old stories, 
and the history of adventures which he had met 
with when driving his cattle through the fair 
province of Leinster, one always leading to the 
other in the most interminable manner. To be 
sure some people did say that Paddy was apt 
to draw a long bow occasionally* 



THE VILLAGE FAIR. 31 

" Good morrow, Paddy," said Mr. Lynch, 
« how are all at the farm ?" 

" Why then very well, I thank yoor honour 
barring what's bad of them.'^ 

" And who are they, Paddy ?•' 

« Wisha, nothing at all, your honour, only 
the cattle, and that's bad enough." 

" Indeed! I thought you had the best cattle 
in the country.'^ 

"O then, for the matter of that, I believe 
the cattle are well enough, only there's no 
such thing as getting a taste of butter from 
the churning; so Tm thinking to give up the 
farm, for I'll never have any luck on account 
of meddling with charms, like a big fool as I 
was." 

" Charms, Paddy !" 

'* Yes, sir, charms. Your honour must know 
that myself and a little gossoon I had in service 
with me, were returning home through the 
county of Wicklow, after having sold the last 
of a drove of shanafaughs in the famous city 
of Dublin— Here, Mjr. Clancey, half a pint 
of the best, if you please— We had travelled 
hard all day, sir, thinking to reach the town 






32 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

of Baltioglass before the night should set in ; 
but, as luck would have it, we were benighted 
on the road; so not liking to be out late, 
for fear of a blast from the good people, 1 
made up to a cabin on the road side, and axed 
for lodgings. 

" ' Wisha then, you shall, and welcome,' 
said a decent elderly man, who was sitting into 
the fire smoking his doodeen, and whom I 
afterwards found was the parish schoolmaster. 
Och, Uwas he was the lamed man! you 
wouldnU meet with such another in a month 
of Sundays ; for, ^ure, it was he was the fine 
Latinist, and knew all about the good ou/d 
times of Gadelus and Fuan Mac Cool ; and 
then he had such pleasant stories about his 
adventures when he was a youngster, how he 
travelled half over the world, and sailed through 
the Arches of Pelago, that you'd listen to him 
for the length of a winter's night. But what 
was far beyond all this, he knew more about 
the good people than would be proper to 
mention; for while we. were sitting talking by 
the fire, who should come in but a little gos- 
soon from a neighbouring farmer^ so he up 



THE VILLAGE FAIR. 33 

and tould the schoolmaster how his father 
couldn't get any good of his churning, and 
that some bad member had charmed away the 
butter. ' I'll soon settle that/ said the school* 
master; 'your father was always a good friend 
of mine, and 'twould be a hard case if I wouldn't 
do more than that to sarve him.' So with that 
he takes his pen and ink, and wrote three little 
words on a bit of paper. I was looking over 
his shoulder all the time, and took good notice 
of what he was writing. * Here,* says he to 
the gossoon, * run, you rogue, give this to your 
father, tell him to put it under the churn, and 
ril go bail tie gets his butter again.' Well, 
sir, when the morning came, I travelled on, 
and thought no more about the charm, only 
I believe I tould the boy if there was any good 
in it, I could do it as well as the schoolmaster 
himself. So, without further accident, we ar«. 
rived safe at the ould ground, in the kingdom 
of Kerry. I wasn't long at home, when the 
boy left me and took on with one Jack Foulue 
(a strong farmer that lives over Laun) ; shortly 
after which, as I was. looking over some boys 
that were sowing the praties for me, who 
should I see come into the farm but Jack 

VOL. II. D 



34 LEGENDS OJP THE LAKES. 

Foulue himself. He rode a t^ht cut of a 
horse, aod led another by the bridle. 

'< ' Good morrow, Paddy/ says lie. < Good 
morrow, kindly Jack/ says I. ' Come here/ 
says he, ^ I want to q)ake to you.' So I 
went into the nest field, and Jack, dismount, 
ing, pulls a big bottle of the right stuff out of 
his pocket, and sets, down by th^ side of the 
ditch. ^ Sit down, Paddy/ says he, ' till we 
take a drop of the crater this could morning ; 
and, fakes, 'tis myself would want a drop to 
keep me in heart, for, sure, 'tis Vm in a bad 
way, unless you help me, Paddy.' * Vm sorry 
for your trouble. Jack,' says I, * and, sure, if 
it's in my power, you're safe enough, fow you 
couldn't be better than I'd wish you. Jack.' So 
down I sat (for I coulda't find it in my heart 
to refuse him, besides, the liquor looked mighty 
tempting). * Ma gra ma chree^P said he, * I 
knew that well enough, and that's what brought 
me to you, Paddy; but I'll tell you what's the 
matter with me : you know I have as fine cows 
as any in the county, but, for rnrtin, some one 
has charmed away the butter; so that if we 

* My darling of my heart. 



THB VILLAGE FAIR. $5 

were churning for ever, it would be to no pur- 
pose; we did every thing in our power, we 
put the gad about the churn, and the hot 
coulter uiider it, but that was little good for 
us; for besides that Peggy Camig was seerf 
with a dead man's hand (which, you know, 
would carry all the butter in the parish), Giles 
H asset tould me that he saw a great hare 
sucking the cows. So I just stepped down 
to the fairyman for advice; he tould me he 
couldn't do any thing for me, but if I would 
get Paddy Conner of Lissiniggeen to give roe 
a charm, I'd get my butter again. When I went 
home I told what the fairyman said. < Sure 
enough,' said a gossoon that^s in service with 
me, ^ I was with the very man when he picked 
it up from an ould schoolmaster in the county 
Wicklow.' So I came oflF directly to you, 
Paddy ; and sure you won't have the heart to 
refuse me, and I in the pucker I am, with no 
one to help me but yourself.' 

« ^ That's what I can't do. Jack,' says I ;. * I 
wouldn't meddle with charms for the world. 
But, to make a long story short, sir, he made 
mch a poor mouth, and softened me sawith^ 



36 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

the whiskey, that be persuaded me at last to 
mount the horse and go home with him. When 
we came to the house, we found the women 
churning away as fast as could be; but if they 
were churning from that day to this, the never 
a taste of butter would they get : so I tuck a 
bit of paper and wrote what I saw the school- 
master write, and put it under the chum ; in 
a moment the churn, and every vessel in the 
house, was full of butter, so that they recovered 
all they had lost, and a great deal more ; but 
how it was brought is more than I can say, if 
it wasp't the good people that did it. Well, 
sir, home I went, thinking all the way Pd make 
a fortune of the charm, but I was mightily out 
in my reckoning, for I was hardly at home 
when the woman asked me where I was ; so I 
up and tould her all about the charm. < Oh, 
you thief!' says she, * you've done a bad job 
for yourself.' With that, she gives me a pol" 
thogue* that sent me spinning into the milk 
room. 

'< < Look at that, yo^ villain!', says she — and, 

* A thump. 



THE VILLAGE FAIR. 3? 

sure enough, all the milk and butter in the 
place was turned ; the scent of it (saving your 
honour's presence) would knock down a horse. 
However^ I didn't mind it much, for, thinks I, 
I can write another charm for myself, and so 
I did, but it wouldn't do; and when I tould 
Jack Foulue the story, and asked him for the 
loan of the charm I wrote for him, the thief 
of the wide world only laughed in my face, 
and wouldn't so much as give me a sight of it. 
* Do you take me for a fool, Paddy,' says he, 
' to give you the charm, when, 'tis as plain as 
a pikestaff, 'twas yourself that carried away 
my butter?' But I'll be up to him the first 
fair I meet him at, the ungrateful hound. 
From that time to this, 1 hadn't a day's luck 
with my cattle ; and when your honour axed 
after all at home, "twas thinking I should be 
obliged to give up the farm for a bad job I 
was." 

"Bad enough, Paddy," said I, " but what 
was it you wrote on the paper?" 

"Is it what I wrote you'd be after axing 
about? There now, why I suppose your honour 
wants to be as wise as myself, and" 



38 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

*^ HurroOy here^s a Minehan, here^s a Do* 
noghue/' resounded through the fair. This was 
followed by the immediate clashing of sticks, 
mingled with the wild shouts of the combatants. 
In a moment the tent was emptied, and wq 
among the rest ran out to take a view of the 
fray, which did not promise to be very dan- 
gerous to those engaged, as they were so 
•thickly wedged together, that stick waved over 
stick, and met with a world of noise and clatter; 
but few received, or could possibly receive, a 
single blow. 

Presently the mounted police dashed up 
and dispersed the combatants, while the ma^ 
gistrate, aided by a body of the foot police, 
triumphantly seized on their shillelahs, and 
occasionally comniitted a few pot-valiant mor- 
tals to the safe custody of his myrmidons. 

" Come, come. Lynch," said I, " for sober 
men like you and myself this will never answer 
— but here are our friends of the morning— i- 
'just one drop' appears to have done their 
business. I cannot resist a parting sketch, as 
a companion for the meeting.'' 



THE VILLAGE FAIR, 



Whilst I made the above outline, Mr. Lynch 
stood close to my ear, humming with a mere 
verbal alteration, Moore's words, to a Hun- 
garian air, in the National Melodies. 

" So warmly we met, and so fondly we parted. 
That which w^ the sweeter, e'en I could not tell, 

That first look of welcome Ati aunny eyes darted, 
Or that roar of passion which bleaa'd out fiut>well ; 



40 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

To meet was a Heaven, and to part thus another ; 

Our joy and our sorrow seem*d rivals in bliss; 
Oh, a pair of black eyes are not liker each other. 

In smiles and in tears, than that moment to this. 

" The first was like daybreak, new, sudden, delicious. 

The dawn of a pleasure scarce kindled up yet ; 
The last was that farewell of daylight, more precious. 

More glowing and deep, as His nearer its set. 
Our meeting, though happy, was tinged by a sorrow. 

To think that such happiness could not remain. 
While our parting, though sad, gave ahope that to-morrow 

Would bring back the bless'd hour of meeting again. 



>» 



^' Who, after the accordance of these verses 
by our national bard, with your illustrative 
sketches, can doubt how truly you both have 
copied nature ?'' 

I had no sooner entered the Inn, on ray 
return from the Village Fair, than the waiter 
addressed me with — " There's a letter, sir, by 
the post for you." 

^' A letter? from my mother I suppose — 
my dear * Ma* — so it is I declare, and an 
euclosiue too! — I have the best and kindest 
mother in the world." 



„j 



41 



CHAP. III. 



THE STAG HUNT. 



The first beams of the rising sun had just 
crept in lines of brilliant light through the 
crevices of my window shutter^ when I awoke 
from a profound and dreamless sleep : with a 
few yawns I succeeded in attaining a con- 
sciousness of existence ; in other words, 1 was 
wide awake, and sensible of some unusual stir 
and bustle in the Inn. Listening for some 
time to catch a stray word, which might dis- 
cover the cause of this confusion, I at length 
plainly distinguished the rough voice of Doolan 
O'Donoghue in high dispute with the waiter. 
^^ Thunder an' tear an' ouns," said he, << is 
it to have his honour lose the stag hunt, and 
be so lucky to have one, when it wasn't ex- 
pected at all? and how should his honour 
expect it when he wasn't here at the races' 
week, when there's always sure to be a 
couple of them ? but since his honour has the 
luck to have a stag hunt, all as one as if it 
was given out on purpose for him, I'll take 



49> LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

care he shan't lose it ; so I say there is no use 
in argiifyingy you must wake his honour^ and 
tell him that Doolan is waiting to know if he'll 
have his ould crew." 

'^ I tell you I won't do no such thing/' said 
the waiter ; ^' for didn't the gentleman bid me 
not to wake him, because why ? he was mortal 
tired after going up Mangerton/' 

O, ho ! a stag hunt, thought I^ Doolan is in 
the right, it would never do to lose a stag hunt. 
So hastily jumping out of my bed^ I threw 
open the shutters, and having partially dressed 
myself, rung the bell, which immediately put 
an end to the dispute, by bringing the waiter 
to my door, whom I ordered to procure my 
old boat and crew, and to have every thing in 
readiness for the stag hunt. Having finished 
my toilet, I hastened down to breakfast, in 
order to be early in the field ; for, on looking 
out, I perceived Killamey was already sending 
forth its hundreds, all anxiously hurrying to 
enjoy the sport. A stag hunt creates quite a 
sensation in Killarney ; on such occasions the 
town pours forth almost its whole population, 
even many of the old women disdaining to be 
left behind. It was all life apd animation; 



THE STAC^ HUNT. 43 

the whole place was in commotion with the 
rattling of carriages and jaunting cars, crowded 
with *^ beardies and brushes^' (so, in Killamey 
phrase, are dandies and artists termed), lakers 
and their ladies: and well corded to each 
vehicle appeared huge baskets of provisions. 
Blue-jacketed boatmen were seen running to 
and fro, in all the spirit-stirring energy of 
business; in fact. 

It was the morning of a glorious day ; 
At dawn tlie trackers of the deer were oat, 
And mannM each pass above Glenlt's lone bay, 
To keep the red deer down with fi*equent shout. 
The merry town pour'd forth its giddy rout, 
Down to the quay of Ross they rush amain — 

« 

And not only to the quay of Ross did they 
rushy but seeing it was impossible to procure 
boats for such a multitude, hundreds, rather 
than lose the sport, determined to walk round 
by the new line of road; and not a few set out 
mounted on their own good steeds, while their 
wives and daughters, crowding jingle and 
jaunting car, passed swiftly by the more humble 
cart, with its usual accompaniment of bed and 
quilt, for the accommodation of less wealthy 
or less aspiring folk. 



44 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

The important business of breakfast de- 
spatched, and having been joined bj Mr. 
Lynch, we proceeded to mingle with the crowd 
who were hurrying towards the place of em- 
barkation, on the Island of Ross. 

Arrived at Ross, we found a wide-spreading 
fleet, of all sorts and sizes of boats, from the 
eight-oared barge to the light skiff and paddled 
canoe. The band of the Kerry militia occupied 
a large boat, as this was a fete given in honour 
of the accomplished Countess Kenmare, for 
whom, and for ''John O^Connell" (so I was 
informed), the fleet were then waiting; Mr. 
O'Connell generally on such occasions being 
commander in chief. In a few minutes his 
six-oared barge was seen approaching; indeed 
it would have been impossible to mistake it, 
for the green flag of Ireland fluttered at its stem, 
upon which might be discovered, embroidered 
in large characters, erin go bragh. Then the 
barge itself was green, ornamented with a stripe 
of virgin white and a running wreath of sham^ 
rocks, with which also the oars were decorated 
from top to bottom. 

The portly form of Mr. O'Connell himself, 
as he stood most majestically steering his 



THE STAG HUNT. 45 

patriotic barge, was soon recognised. He was 
greeted^ as may be supposed, with a mighty 
shout, after which he issued a general order 
that no bos|t should go ahead of the Earl of 
Kenniare^s, which just then made its appear* 
ance, and immediately proceeded to lead on 
the fleet. 

Lo, off they push with shout and music's swell, 

A £aiTy fleet upon an island sea. 

Wide flashed the water as the light oars fell, 

Answered the boatman^s song, the buoyant glee 

Of hearts full set on mirth and revelry ; 

And many a streamer gay is floating there, 

With rainbow colours and embroidery, 

Wide waving on the gently breathing air, 

That seemed in love to fan a scene so bright and fair. 

As we glided by the wild and rocky shores 
of Ross, several sail-boats started from the 
nooks and comers where they had harboured, 
and, unfurling their white wings to the wind, 
flew swiftly on before the breeze, adding greatly 
to the beauty and efiect of the scene ; the waves 
sparkling before their prows, their sails now 
glancing in the sun, and now beautifully con- 
trasting their snowy hue with the darkness aad 
majesty of some frowning rock or hill. 

Thus did thq little fleet pass gaily on till 



/ 



46 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

we came to the entrance of the river between 
Brickeen and Glen^ ; here the sail.boats were 
abandoned, and here commenced struggle and 
confusion, boat thwarting boat in the windings 
of the river; now an oar entangled 'mid the 
weeds, and now a bo^t run aground until we 
gained Dinis' Pool, where the company were 
landed on the GlensL bank, while the boats 
were being hauled up the rapids under the old 
Weir Bridge. 

It was an animated sight when standing on 
the bridge to view the efforts of the boatmen 
dragging their respective barges against the 
stream; and then to behold the gay groups, 
each after the other, emerging from the covert 
of roek and wood, and approaching that part 
of the river where they were to re-embark, and 
where boat after boat, as it surmounted the 
rapids, took in its company and proceeded up 
the river.*— The whole deet being assembled 
under the Eagle's Nest, the hills manned to 
keep the deer down to the river, and the ^^ 
hounds and huntsmen up in the hollow be* 
tween Glen^ and the Eagle's Nest, where the 
deer lay which they had tracked for some 
days before, silence reigned around, every one 



THE STAG HUNT. 47 

anxiously waiting the signal shot. Those who 
had walked or rode, now covered every rock 
and height pn the banks of the riveri and many 
even had forsaken their boats in order to have 
a better view from the shore. 

Behold the congregated rocks, whose groups^ 
like idands, stand along the river^s side, 

Are cover'd o*er with gay expectant troops 

Of youths, and dainty dames in flaunting pride. 

But beside these there were many who joined 
business with pleasure. There was the fruit 
girl with her basket of apples ; and as it is 
not in the nature of things that at an Irish 
merry-making the all important whiskey should 
be forgotten, many women might be seen 
handing the ^' cruiskeen lawn ^* among the 
crowd, while the huxster, with her sieve full 
of dillisk, bread, and biscuits, was all as ready 
to appease the cravings of hunger. Sundry 
old ladies were there, who had been prudent 
enough to bring their own stores, and they 
might be seen in many a snug spot drawing 
forth the home*baked loaf and pocket bottle, 
glancing in the sun, to regale both themselves 
aod cronies. And now all is ready. 



48 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

Hark to the signal shot ! the mountain*s roar ! 

The burst of that brave pack I the frequent shout 

The watchers on the hills begin to pour^ 

As bursts the red deer from the wild woods oat ! 

Lo 1 down he dashes through that giddy rout. 

With glancing eye and antlers' branchy pride, 

While &st the big round tears begin to spout ; 

One moment stands he by that river's side, 

Looks, lingering, up the hills, then plunges in the tide. 

After the first burst, every eye was strained 
to get a view of the stag. " There he b" — 
" No"-r"" Whisht, ye'll see him in a minute^* 
— '^ Hark) that's O'SulIivan's cry ringing through 
the hills*' — '' There Geoffry Lynch makes his 
appearance'* — " And now John O'ConnelPs 
huntsman/' were the various exclamations from 
every side. 

Sometimes the stag makes his escape up the 
mountains, leading hound and hunter a long 
and weary chase. On this occasion, however, 
matters were better managed; for the stag, 
after several vain attempts to ascend, made his 
appearance, and ran along the river^s side for 
nearly a mile, in full view of the boats and 
those on the shore, till finding himself too 
closely pressed by the hounds, he plunged into 
the river. Then came the struggle, the chase, 



THE STAG HUNT. 49 

and the race, for the honour of taking him^ 
which nvas at length done by Mr. O^Connell. 
A handkerchief was bonnd round the pdor 
animal's eyes, his legs tied, and thus secured, 
he was lifted into the boat. The boat then 
put in to the shore, in order to allow every one 
a peep at the stag ; to obtain which^ the fleet 
gathered round, and all hurried towards one 
point of the bank, where soon stood nobility 
and mobility, huntsman and peasant, indis- 
criminately grouped together. 

Close to Mr. O'Connell's barge was that 
of the Earl Kenmare, into which stepped the 
round, rosy, and Reverend Lord Brandon, at 
the same time, apparently, addressing some 
courtly compliments to the Lady Kenmare — 
then there was the good Lord Headley with his 
famous piper and my worthy friend Gandsey. 
The Herberts of Cahemane, with the union 
jack, in despite of the admiralty regulation, 
floating at their stern. And around these, 
and other first rates, crowded the small fry> 
anxious to catch the looks and the words of 
their superiors. Amidst the confused murmur 
of this strange assembly a distinguished orator 
arose to present Lady Kenmare with the tip 

VOL. II. E 



50 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

of the stag's ear, which he did, accompanyiDg 
the action with a speech^ that fully entitled 
him to his popular appellative of *\ the silver 
toogued." 

" I feel," said he, " I feel"— and there was 
a general shout — ^' this to be the proudest — 
most glorious moment of my existence; indeed 
words can never sufficiently express the in- 
tense depth of my happiness in thus having 
the honour to present the wild monarch of the 
hilis to the beautiful, all-accomplished, most 
lovely, and superlative lady of our lakes." 
Here the speaker placed his right hand on his 
left breast, waved a white cambric handkerchief, 
looked around for applause, and then, with a 
graceful bow, resumed his speech : ** Lady, 
I lay this trophy at thy feet, but the monarch 
himself will be set at liberty. Irishmen know 
too well the bitterness of slavery to enslave 
even an animal, and feel the galling chains of 
political adamant too strongly not to weep when 
even a silken cord restrains the mountain deer. 
But Irishmen, I trust, through the exertions of 
the great, the mighty O'Connell, will yet be as 
free as the stag which bounds over ^heir hills 
of fame, where green robed bards have sung. 



THE STAG HUNT. 51 

and yellow vested warriors liave trodden. Lady, 
keep this trophy in remembrance of old Erin — 
Erin, my country, beautiful even in the torrent 
of her tears; and as often as you look upon it, 
O! lady, give a sigh for the wrongs of Ireland's 
seven millions of degraded, persecuted Catho- 
lics ; and pray for the downfall of their sworn 
enemies, the bloody Orangemen, that Erin may 
be, as she ought to be, 

" The first flower of the earth, the first gem of the sea." 

At the conclusion of this speech there was 
a universal shout of applause; the very hills 
rang again with the names and praise of 
O'Connell, Mahony, and Kenmare. The fleet 
then began to drop down the river, as the stag 
was to be released in Gleni Bay, from whence 
they. were to proceed to Innisfallen, where the 
evening was to be closed with feast and dance. 

A lively scene ensued on the arrival of the 
fleet at the old Weir Bridge. Dinis and the 
shores were covered with people, waiting to 
behold the boats shoot the bridge; and, as we 
were nearly the first to perform this feat, we 
had an opportunity of seeing the others descend. 
Down came boat after boat; some striking 



5£ LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

against the rocks, and neariy overset; others 
steering clear of all obstructions, among which 
number was my friend Plunket, who, being 
coxswain to the Earl Kenmare, had been 
obliged to leave me, in order to pilot his lord- 
ship. I had however, no cause to coimplaiD^ so 
well did honest Tim Lyne supply Plunket's 
place. As each boat descended, the crew gave 
a shout, which was answered from the shores; 
and then all proceeded on to GlenaL Bay, where 
being ranged at each side of Mr. O'ConnelPs 
barge, the stag was freed. 

The gallant stag is ta'en, the chase is o'er, 
The sturdy rowers urge the flyiug boat — 

Within Glenn's lone fairy bay, once more 
That joyous fleet doth in its glory float, 
Ab calm as skiff upon some castle*s moat : 

And .there they set the antler'd monarch free. 
With shout, and loud halloo, and bugle note ; 

Proudly he stems the wave, right glad to see 

His native wilds again, and be at liberty. 

Shortly after freeing the stag, the whole fleet 
put into Innisfallen, with colours flying, and 
the band playing. Upon landing, the difierent 
parties dispersed about the island, where they 
formed themselves in little groups, to partake 
of the collations they had brought with them. 



, jjwii n ■ ■■ 



THE STAG HUNT. 53 

Dinner wer^ some perambulated the walks; 
others seated on the shore enjoyed the scenery, 
and listened to the distant notes of music; 
while by far the greater part amused them- 
selves with dancing on the green turf near the 
banqueting-bouse, where the Kerry band were 
stationed; and not a few of the young men dis- 
played their skill in a rowing match around 
the island. 

" Glanced many a light caique along the foam, 
Danced on the shore the daughters of the land/' 

Upon this scene the moon arose broad and 
bright. 

'< That^s fortunate for you/* said Mr. Lynch ; 
^ for it would be a sad thing to go away^ with- 
out a moonlight row on the lake; suppose 1 
order the men to pull us to Glensi Bay, and 
from thence back to Ross." 

Departing for Gleni, we glided gently across 
the moonlit waters. If I was writing a novel, 
here would be the place for pictorial sentiment; 
but as I am not, and as Mr. Weld has given a 
wondrous description of Gleni as seen by 
mooii%ht, I shall merely say that Gledk, always 



54 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES, 

romantic and beautiful ^ is rendered doubly so 
by moonlight and music. 

Oh then, at such an hoar to sail aloDg 
The silvered waters by some mountain's side, 

'Whose trees shall rustle overhead a song 
Bassed by the murmur of the chafing tide. 
By the breeze brought and echo multiplied. 

Oh iheu, at such an hour amid such sounds, 
To sail with her, your own — ^your gentle bride — 

But truce to such dreams. 

On our return homewards, Thady Begly 
commenced whistling the exquisite old melody 
of Aiken a roon. Although no air is more 
familiar to me, in my mood of mind at the 
instant I felt charmed with its wild simplicity; 
the sound of every note went directly to my 
heart ; till Doolan suddenly checked my enjoy- 
ment by placing his hand on Begly's mouth. 

" Why then/' said he, " don't be after going 
to whistle that diabolical tune, for sure and 
sartin there's something diabolical in it ; and 
'twill be many a long day till you whistle it 
again, whep you hear the whole story about it. 

''You must know then, that Father Phill 
Clancey happened one day to be in Killamey 



THE STAG HUNT. 55 

about a little business of his owD| and was kept 
by one thing or another^ till the night came on ; 
a desperate dark night it was ; so^ as there was 
no use in attempting to go home, he was obliged 
to content himself with a snug lodging/ and a 
smoking tumbler of whiskey punch. Weil, just 
as he was mixing the second tumbler, word was 
brought him, that Moll Barry of Claunteens 
was at the last gasp, and that she couldn't leave 
the world in pace, if Father Phill didn't give 
her the blessed sacrament. Now, Father Phill 
didn't like to leave his warm tumbler of punch 
and snug room, and small blame to him for 
that ; but if it was a Turk, how could he refuse 
him, and he at the last gasp ? let alone Moll 
Barry, who was a relation of his own, and a 
good Christian. So seeing there was no help 
for it, up he gets on his bit of a pony, and 
away he gallops along the Castle Island road, 
as fast as the dark would let him. It wasn't 
long till he passed the park gate, and the little 
bridge over. the Dinah, and, to make a long 
story short, he got on well enough till he came 
to the oiild fort at Knockeen Duve — a lone, 
some place it is, and they say the good people 
live in it ; and sure enough there's a sort of a 



•- V 



56 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

cave covered over Wnh smooth flags in the 
middle of it. But he that as it may, 'tis sartm 
that when Father Pbill came to the fort, he 
heard the most beatUifullest music in the world, 
so that he couldn% for the life of him, h^elp 
standing to listen ; well, all at once, the music 
stopped, and two of the finest voices that was 
^.ver heard before or since, begun to tune up 
Jlileen a roon in prime style. If Father Phill 
was pleased with the music, he was much better 
pleased with the song ; so, after listening for 
sooie time, he thought he'd just ride into the 
fort, and see who it was that was singing so 
beautiful entirely. Well, fakes if he did, the 
moment he got into the fort what should he 
see bjut two great mastiffs of bulldogs, sitting 
overright one another, and singing for the bare 
life ; and no sooner did his reverence make the 
siign of the cross, than away they flew in a 
flame.of fire, — and Father Phill, clapping spurs 
to his pony, galloped on as fast as he could. 
It wasn't long ^ill he came to the house at 
Claunteens ; but he was the day after tlie bkt 
for poor Moll Barry was dead and gone; and 
then he knew well enough that it was l3m devil 
himself (the I^ord presarve us !), that stopped 



THE STAG HI3NT. 5*1 

bim 9t the aiuld fort, to prevent his giving the 
poor woman the Uessed sacrament. So you 
see ita no wonder that I don't like to hear a 
Christian whistling the devil's tune. For 'tis 
as true a story, as that you are sitting there ; 
and didn't I.hear it word for word out of Father 
Phill's own mouth? and sure I wouldn't gato 
belie him, now that he's dead and gone, for 'tis 
not iny way you see." 

As Doolan concluded his story, we had 
reached Ross Quay, where we found numbers, 
who like ourselves bad just landed, and were 
hastening home to Kiliamey. Indeed, the 
rattle of jingles and coaches was to the full as 
great as it had been in the morning ; and we, 
not to be behind-hand with the rest, contributed 
our share, by mounting one of Gorham's vehi- 
cles, and jingling it away to the town ; Spit 
lane all the time playing on his bugle, with 
might and main. 

^* You had better stop, Spillane,^' said Mr. 
Lynch, as we approached Kiliarney; *^you 
ksiow, we have some very anti-musical magis- 



trates." 



<^ I believe,'' replied Spillane, <' they'll let 
nitt»cians alone again, as long as they Hve; 



58 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

for wasn't there Mr. Dumass^ more strength 
to his elbow, and more wind in his bellows f — 
and didn't Moriarty for the same reason, pro- 
secute Blake, the captain of the Peelers, and 
make him pay the piper, with a vengeance t it 
was a dear song to him, any how/^ 

Scarcely had we entered the town, when 
our ears were assailed by a most tremendous 
uproar. — '^Here's a Barry" — "Here's a 
Leary *' — " Five pounds for a Barry's head " — 
** Ten pounds for a Leary " — " Here's up- 
street for Barry " — " Here's down-street for a 
Leary " — resounded through the town. 

" Spillane, what's all this uproar about ? the 
stag-hunt whiskey seems to be stirring among 
the good people of Killarney." 

" O sir, it's only a bit of a skirmish between 
up-street and down-street, and the faction of 
the Barrys and Learys ; it's nothing to what 
they used to have long ago, when one part of 
the town fought against the other, with old 
scythes and swords and stones ; and the women 
used to come behind a man, with a parcel of 
stones in an old stocking, and knock him as dead 
as a herring." Presently there came a cry of 
« The Peelers *'— « The Peelers "—and im- 



THE STAG HUNT. 59 

mediately three or four green-coated^ black- 
belted horsemen, with a fiery magistrate at their 
head, dashed into the thick of the crowd ; and 
after some time, succeeded in putting an end 
to the fray. 

*' Why then," said a gigantic countryman, 
who stood near me; ** why then, isn't it a 
mortal shame for Mr. Galway to drive among 
the people at that rate ? how does he know, 
but he'd kill the poor craters, and they as thick 
as midges ? 'tis long till Mr. Cashell would do 
the likes, any how." 

*^ And who is this Mr. Cashell ?" said I, to 
Spillane. '^ He's a good gentleman, and a 
magistrate, sir ; and has a beautiful good lady 
to his wife ; her own name is Wilson ; she came 
from Scotland, and has a brother that is a 
great writer, and a fine poet." 

^^ Oh, then, she is sister to the ingenious 
Professor of that name." 

Once more, I enter Gorham's Hotel, where 
a comfortable bed, apd sound sleep, soon ren- 
dered me alike insensible to the fatigues or 
pleasures of the day. 



60 LEGENDS OP THE LAKES. 



CHAP. IV. 

A SUNDAY IN KILLARNEY. 

" Djno dong ! ding dong /*' " Thwe's no getting 
a comfortable nap this nioming, tbose ocm* 
founding bells make such a noise ; hark, there 
they gOy ding dong! ding dong! I wonder 
what's the reason of it ? Oh, now I recollect, it 
is Sundaj morning; and certainly if I am to 
judge by the jingling of bells, the good people 
of Killamey must be very devout. — Well, as 
I cannot sleep, I will get up.'' 

« 

In a short time, I was dressed, down stairs, 
and in the street. Cp^owds upon crowds were 
hurrying to first mass; and, joining the throng, I 
soon found myself at the entrance of the chapel 
in the New Street, but beyond this there was 
no possibility of proceeding, as the chapel was 
crowded, and the very yard fuU of people, most 
devoutly kneeling, and endeavouring to catch 
the sound of the priest's voice. Here was the 
state of blockade presented by the chapel 
door — 



1 



^ p • « ••** 4 



A SUNDAT IN KILLASNEY. 



Mj curiosity gratified, I returned to Got- 
ham's, where I was agreeably surprised by the 
appearance of Mr. Lynch, who had been wait- 
ing my return. 

" I see you have been out early," said he, 
" what do you mean to do with yourself to- 
day f" 

" I mean to witness a Sunday in Killamey ; 
having already beheld no bad specimen of the 
devotion of its inhabitants." 

" TTien I promise you," said Mr. Lyach, 
" fiiU employment, notwithstanding that it is 
the sabbath day. So soon as you are done 
breakfast, we will lake a turn as far as Wood- 
lawn, after which we can go to church, and 



6£ LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

then stroll through the town, if you please, and 
make our observations/' 

*' Agreed," said I, and when I had finished 
breakfast, we set off on our walk. Scarcely 
had we reached the double row of lime-trees 
on the Flesk road, when we perceived a number 
of shock-headed youths enjoying a game at 
goal (the cricket of Ireland), in an adjoining 
field. Their amusement however, was soon 
interrupted by the appearance of Father Fitz- 
maurice, which was immediately perceived by 
a tall boy, with a hurley in his hand, who had 
evidently been posted as a watch upon the move- 
ments of his reverence. 

^' Run, ye vagabonds, the devil burn ye, run, 
— run for your lives, ye thieves of the world, 
run. — Here's Father Fitz coming down tbe 
road, and 'tis to blazes he'll send you all next 
Sunday, if ye aren't out of sight in a jiffy — 
run, by% run," roared he; and in an instant 
they all scampered ofi^, before the priest could 
arrive at the field of action, and recognise the 
transgressors. But a rude sketch may help to 
convey the scene more perfectly to the reader. 



A SUNDAY IN KII.LABNEY. 



A pleasant walk it is from the towD, to the 
river Flesk, and quite the mall, witb the first 
rates, and second rates, and all the rales and 
ranks of people. On the present occasion, 
instead of going straight on to the bridge, as 
most people do, Mr. Lynch turned off to the 
left, and followed the Woodlawn road ; think- 
ing it, I suppose, more agreeable to get under 



64 LEGENDS OP THE LAKES* 

the shade of the old oak trees, which giire 
name to the place, than to remain exposed to 
the sun. The weather had, within a few days, 
become estremelj hot, so hot, indeed, that a 
dearth of provisions was in consequence appre- 
hended. No sooner did the blazing sun appear 
above the horizon, than the dew vanished from 
the fainting herbage, and the whole country be- 
gan to look brown and scorched ; the cattle ran 
fiercely about the meadows, or stood deep in 
lake, river, or stagnant pool, with a melancholy 
low, lashing away the flies with their long tails; 
the farmers were walking pictures of misery, 
certainly no extraordinary occurrence ; but for 
Kerry farmers to be made unhappy by the want 
of rain was indeed an uncommon event. 

Amid this state of affairs, as Mr. Lynch and 
myself were enjoying the luxurious shade of 
the oak wood a decent elderly man was ac- 
costed by that gentleman, with <^ Good mor- 
row, Daniel." 

'' Ohy the top of the morning to your ho« 
nour," said he. 

«< Were you taking a dip, Daniel ?" 

^' Not iu the least, sir," he replied, ^' I was 
pnly taking a look at a few ridges of [H^ties I 



A SUNDAY IN KILLARNET. 65 

have below tliere, God help them/' and in 
order to soft the action to the word — though I 
presume he had never read a line of Hamlet's 
advice to the players; with the ejaculation, 
^ God help tfiem !" he raised his eyes most 
piteously to heaven, at the same time elevating 
his bands, as in act of supplication. 

** *Ti8 hot weather, indeed," said Mr. Lynch, 
in answer to his look and action ; '^ 'tis hot 
weather, indeed, and I am beginmng to fear 
the consequences will be very injurious to the 
country." 

''Who knows? God is good!" said he, 
'^ God is good !'' at the same time striking his 
left breast with his right hand ! '^ God is good, 
glory be to his name ! did you never hear how 
He made three ears of com to grow out of a 
griddle-cake i" 

^* No, indeed, Daniel, I did not," replied 
Mr. Lynch. 

'* Well then, I'll tell you, sir;'' and he began 
by two or three hems to prepare for his story. 

*^ Your honour must know, that a long time 
ago, there fell out just such another summer 
as this ; the whole country was burned up with 
the beat, and the people were all crying out 

F 



66 tSGBNDS or Tȣ LAKES. 

for rain^ for they thought surely they'd have.no 
hsHTVest at all at all, and that they'd be ail 
starved to death. Well^ sir, it happened at 
this .very time, that the holy Bridget, bles4ed.be 
her name ! came travelling through the country 
with a Cad an* Skiv^, and a poor child upon 
her back. So the weather being hot,, she just 
made bold to ax for shelter in the house of a 
strong farmer that lived hard by. She wasn^t 
long sitting in the kitchen, when who should 
come in but the farmer himself. ^ 'Tis terrible 
weather,' says be, ^ and we'll be all ruined if 
we don't water the crops ; so do you run, Pad- 
deen,' says he to his little gossoouy ^ and col- 
lect the boys, and in die mean time the women 
can be making cakes for them.' So away >v^ent 
the gossooriy and the women began to make 
dough for the cakes. Now, the ,holy Bridget 
was sitting by all the time, so she up and tould 
them, it was better for them to pray, and put 
their trust in God, than to be making such a 
fooster about watering the crops, for God 
could set all to rights in a moment. ' What 
do you know about the matter?' says the 
farmer, ^ that's a likely story, indeed, you want 
to come over us with, just as if the crops would 



A SUNDAY IN KILLARNEY. 67 

grow without water/ The words were hardly 
out of his mouth, when the child poked his 
head from under the blessed Bridget's cloak, 
^ I'll show you what. God can do/ says he, 
^ if you'll only put a bit of that dough on the 
griddle.' So they did as the child desired 
them ; but no sooner did the bit of dough on 
the griddle begin to bake, than three of the 
most beautiful stalks of com, with fine full 
ears, grew out of the middle of it. So the 
people were all surprised ; and when they 
turned round, both Saint Bridget and the child 
were gone, no on^ could tell how or where. 
Then they knew it was a miracle sent from 
God, and didn't attempt to water the crops, 
but said their prayers, and put their trust in 
Him. And there never was, nor ever will be, 
such a plentiful harvest as there was that very 
year. So you see," continued Daniel, '' so you 
see it's a sin to grumble, when God can set all 
to rights in a minute, and make our crops grow 
without rain as well as make the corn grow 
out of the griddle cake." 

** That's a wonderful story ; where did you 
get it, Daniel ?" 

'< Why, then," said he, " I read it many a 



68 LEGENDS OF THE LAK£9« 

long day ago ia the Scripturs, or the Lives of 
the SaiDts, or «ome Mich boo4 ; and, aure^ I 
suppose it's all one : but at any rate we ought 
to pat our tiHist in God." 

Ding-^ing — ding-^ding — ding. — " There's 
the hurry bell," exclaimed Mr. Lynch; *' w« 
must make the best of our way to church. 
Good bye, Daniel." 

" Good bye — and good luck to your honour," 
said Daniel, as we left him at double quick 
time. 

The church is directly opposite Gorham's 
Hotel, and though not a very splendid edifice, 
has a look of neatness from its iron railings, 
little shrubbery in front, and steeple, which is 
a wooden structure covered with slate. At the 
gate we found two or three constables or 
Peelers doing the duty of beadles, and ready to 
prevent any disturbance (a necessary precaution) 
about the church during time of service. On 
our entrance we beheld a tolerably extensive 
congregation ; but this was owing to the influx 
of strangers, as there are not many protestants 
in or about Killamey. The interior of the 
thurch, though neat, was very plain, possessing 
but one small gallery, where sat the little 



""^F' 



A SUNDAY IN KILLABNEY. 



69 



^hoir; its front decorated witb tiie arm8 of 
England, supported by the lion and the uni- 
corn. Along the walls were certain monumental 
inscriptions ; among which might be seen those 
to the memory of Earls of Kenmare; for though 
a R<Maan catholic family, the church contained 
Ibeir mortal remains. In the window, over 
the communion table, was a small transpa* 
rency, representing, as I was told by the pew* 
opener, the Last Supper, at which, if it be 
so, two of the disciples only are represented. 
The congregation appeared clad in their 
^ Sunday's best ;^' each scrutinizing his or her 
neighbour, for the laudable purpose of after- 
church criticism, and morning-visit conversa- 
tion. While in all the pride of place, if I may 
be forgiven applying the phrase to churchmen, 
stood the Rev. Arthur Hyde, with his clerical 
sub, the Rev. Mr. Bland in the reading deric, 
nor must I forget to mention the best possible 
of all clerks, Mr. Thomas Ruddle. 

The church service passed as usual, without 
any thing particular, excejMs that the clerk read 
a great deal better than the clergymen, who, 
however, did not perform badly. Mr. Bland 
then ascended the pulpit, and delivered a 



^mtm 



m^ 



70 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES* 

moderate, and at the same time an eloquent 
discourse, in which no sectarian acidity was 
subtilely mingled with the sound doctrines of 
the church of England, or the pure charity of 
christian principles. 

On issuing from the church we fouod an 
immense crowd assembled to see, what io 
Killarney was esteemed a wonder, a protestani 
Lady Kenmare coming out of church ! Mixing 
with this crowd, I could not avoid overhearing 
some of the remarks — ^' Why then, isn't she a 
fine figure of a woman ?' said one. 

^^ Oh, but isn't it a pity to see her coming 
out of a church, where a Lady Kenmare never 
went before, since the world was a world?'* 
said another. 

" Och," said a third, " she'll soon be taught 
the right way, and come to the true church ; 
for didn't my lord take her to Rome to see 
the pope ? And doesn't she go to visit the 
ladies at the convint^ and hear the childer the 
right catechism ? And doesn't the priest stand 
by, and be explaining the maning of it all to 
her ladyship f" 

•' That's true for you," was the reply; ''and> 
sure,^ if she was at last mass to-day, she'd have 



•f *>!< ' J 



A SUNDAY IN KILLARNEY. 71 

hard a beautiful fine sarmintf from Bishop 
Eagan, that would have convarted her entirely, 
so it would. For didn't he tell how the catho- 
lics was the only true church ? and how there 
wasn't much differ between them and the rale 
protestantsf for, sure, there is a great differ 
between the rale protestants and such metho" 
dises and new lights as little Stephen, that 
preaches in Wat Agar's barn. Little Stephen 
in a rale honest man any how, and not to be 
compared to that new-light, dandy preacher, 
Mr. Mac Crea ; they say he's got a widow with 
a big ybr^m. Egad, it isn't a bad trade^ for 
these prachers are mighty handy at snapping 
up widows ; but, as I was saying, he has little 
business coming here to pervart the people, 
and make ill will amongst the neighbours. I 
suppose he thinks, because he has percarted 
that unfortunate Mary Mineban, that he'll have 
the whole place to himself — ^but he's out in his 
reekning; and, any way, it was a mortal shame 
to put so many lies in the paper, about her 
being kilt^ and murdered, and batey when it 
was no such thing at all ; for didn't the magis- 
trates sit upon it, and find it out all a pack of 



79 LBGSND^ OF THB LAKES. 

lies? but, whisht, there's some of the metkodises^ 
staning near, and they'll be after hearing u^J* 

This last exclamation direcled our attention 
towards two young Baen who were standing- ai 
no great distance : the one, a tall, thin, awk waxd 
youth, with a downy cheek* and a considerable 
stoop ; the other, a crabbed little fellow, with 
a cunning phiz, surmoanted by a glazed military 
cap. 

Mr. Lynch immediately accosted them with, 
'^ How are you, Richard? how do you do, Mua i 
I perceive we ha¥e had Lady Kenmare at church 
to-day." 

<^ Ay, that we had," said the little oae* 
^^ She's true blue; they can't turn her, wilh' 
all their endeavours/' 

*\l was a somewhat alarmed though," said 
the tall youth, *^ for she staid away from churcb 
thre^ Sundays." 

'< Your account is settled at all events, 
Richard," said Mr. Lynch, ^^ after the evidence 
you gave, on the investigation into l^t affair 
of Mary Minebtan's/' 

• '^ 1 care nothing about them/' wa» the reply, 
^^ I lold the truth; besides, all the ipagistrateii 



* -jtfc ii ^- < 



A SUNDAY IN KILLABNBT* 73 

were papists^ and what could be expected from 
tlieiii> where a prieat was concerned?'' 

'^ I' hope you don't intend to insinuate that 
ao many honourable gentleman were partial; 
take care what you are about, Richard, for I 
am sure such an accusation would be repelled 
with the indignation it deserves; besides^ there 
certainly were misrepresentationa." 

'' It's no matter what I intend, I have my 
owa opinion on that subject ; and I am quite 
cer'takit if things go on as they are^ — if govern- 
ment doesn't look to it in time, there'll be 
desperate work — ay, desperate work." 

'^ Indeed/' said Mr. Lynch, wi^ an incre- 
dulous smile, <' I hope, and I rather think not; 
we must make allowances for party spirit, for 
those bickerings in polkies and religion which 
have too long prevailed in this unfortunate 
country. Every enlightened mind must see that 
aueh a state of things is equally foreign to com* 
mon* sense^ true patriotism, and true religion.'' 

<^ Indeed, my dear Mr.. Lynch," said the 
little personage, '^ you do not knotw them, or 
}[ou would not say so; indeed they're a shocking 
murdering set, I assure you, J am quite con- 
vinced of it," 



74 LfiGCMDS OF TXat X^KSS. 

Just as the little man had concluded this 
sweeping sentence, there arose a great stir and 
confusion in the street, which we soon found 
was occasioned by the churchwardens, who were* 
proceeding rather violently in their endeavours 
to suppress sabbath-breaking; but this was not 
to be wondered at, when we found the church- 
wardens themselves were mere boys, into whose 
hands, certainly, such a' power should not have 
been entrusted. The affair was no sooner over 
than the little personage with the cap resumed 
the conversation, by asking Mr. Lynch if he 
had got his book back from the priest ? 

^^ What book ?^^ inquired that gentleman. 

^' The Christian Magazine, to be sure, which 

you lent to young , and which Father 

Fitz took away from him, because he didn't 
choose him to read such damnable books." 

" Oh, nonsense,'* replied Mr. Lynch, " I see 
what you are about; the priest, I dare say, will 
return it when he has sufficiently amused him- 
self by its perusal — Good bye, gentlemen/' 

^' Just stop a minute," said the tall youth, 
^^ I want to know whether you'll go to hear 
Mr. Mac Crea to-night." 

" I can't," said Mr. Lynch, 



t^i.T'SS^ 



A SUNDAY IN KILUIRNEY. 75^ 

" To be sure you won't," said the little 
personage ; '* you'll come and bear the new 
metbodist preacher; you don't hold Mr. Mac 
Crea's calvinist doctrines, Vm sure, that some 
are born to be saved, and all the rest to be 
damned." 

** That's the Scripture doctrine, however," 
said the tall youth, <' and not the metbodist 
doctrine, that people can be saved by their own 
works, which is every bit as bad as popery ; I 
tell you, sir, good works and self-righteousness 
are as dirty rags in the sight of God." 

*' Oh, ho," whispered Mr. Lynch, " it is 
high time for us to be off" — and away we 
went, leaving the two disputants in high argu- 
ment about election and predestination. 



76 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 



CHAP. y. 

FUNERALS AND WAKES. 

Quitting Killaraej, I walked with Mr. Lynch 
towards his cottage. On our way thither we 
were accosted by an old woman, who solicited 
for the honour of God and the glory of the 
Virgin, a trifle towards burying her. 

*' Why, Molly," said Mr. Lynch, « you 
ought to have been buried six months since.'' 

« What, buried alive ?'' said I. 

" No — but dead and buried," replied Mr. 
Lynch, ^^ at least, all the preparations for the 
funeral were, to my knowledge, made last 
Christmas; but, perhaps," he continued, ad- 
dressing the mendicant, '' you have not yet 
determined as to whether it is to be at Mucruss 
or Aghadoe.'* 

^' Oh, then, long life to your good honour 
entirely," ejaculated the old woman, ^' and 
may every day be full of blessings, and luck^ 
and grace be with you, and the widow^s blessing 
be upon you wherever you go.*' 



n^NEHALS AND yfJJLBS. 77 

^ Well, MoJly," «aid Mr, Lynch, « which 
18 it, MucruBS or Aghadoe you are to be buried 
atf" 

*^ *Tis, it is the cruel hard question for a 
poor cratur like me to answer; for sure there^s 
my husband lies in Aghadoe, God be good to 
him, and my father, and my six brothers. Lord 
rest their sowky at Mucruss. And sure then it 
would be only proper for me to spend a little 
time with my father and my brothers, but then 
'tis a deal more natural for me to go to my 
poor husband." 

'< My good woman,'' said I, ^' it appears to 
me a matter of very little consequence what 
becomes of our body after death.^' 

<' Och, 'tis easy for quality like your honour 
to say so," she answered, << but 'tis I that 
know» well enough, if 'twas buried I was at 
Mucruss along with my own people, His niy 
husband would be coming looking after me 
every night. And indeed, a cushla^ 'tis only 
last Saturday week that I saw my husband 
through my sleep, and his legs were all cut 
from the knees down, for the want of the 
shoes and stockings. So the little trifle I had 
to make a comfortable wake for myself, I 



78 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

coiildnH find it in my heart to keep, and poor 
Paddy in want of the shoes and stockings, so 
I bought a pair for him ; and I saw him since 
he got diem, and now he^s quite comfortable/^ 

.^ Whs^ bay a pair of shoes for a dead 
man ! I never heard of soch a thii^*' 

'' May be not; why, yoor honour, ^twas not 
myself, yoo see, bought them, for sure there 
If ould be no use in that, but Hwas the priest, 
long life to him, took the money/* 

*< And now that you have done so much for 
Paddy,** said Mr. Lynch, scarcely able to 
suppress a smile, '^ I think you may as well 
make up your mind to be buried with him at 
Aghadoe/' 

<< *Tis Ae more natural I should be laid with 
my husband than with any one else,*' said the 
old woman after a pause, '^ and 1*11 go to him, 
though I dread, if 'tis buried I am at Aghadoe, 
my six brothers will be coming there to see 
me and quarreling with poor Paddy, for they 
never. liked him. And 'tis my brothers that 
were fine boys, six foot high, and 'tis they had 
sticks ail the year round seasoning up, the 
chimney, and were terrible fellows at handling 
them — so they wereJ' 



^FUNERALS AND WAKES. 79 

. ^' Here is something towards jour wake, 
Molly," said I, ^^ although I think you had 
much bett^ buy a handkerchief for your head, 
or any thing else that would make you com- 
fortable while alive. In my opinion this grand 
wake is only throwing so much. money away, 
from which it is impossible you can have any 
enjoyment." 

<* Oh, a gragcde, and 'tis on the knees of 
my heart I thank. you; and may what youVe 
giyen the poor ould lonesome widow be re- 
turned to you a thousand times. 'Tis I that 
know what to do with the neighbours when 
they come .to my wake — but ''tis only your own 
honour. I'll tell. You see, when they're all 
there from far and near, as to, be sure they 
will, in the night, and I within in my coffin, 
I'll just get Norah, my daughter, to tie a string 
to my big toe, and put it out through a hole in 
the wall. Well, when they're all gathered to- 
gether, my dear, let Norah go out and give it 
a good pull, and then up will go my leg in 
the coffin, and then, I'll, engage, she'll soon 
get rid of them,, and there'll be an end to the 
expense for candles and. whiskey and tobaky — 
for they'll. all think 'tis come to life I am; 
and there^ I'll have a decent wake that will 



00 I.SOB1IDS OF THS UkKES. 

be remembeied as long as any wake in the 
conntry* Then, yoor honour, let me be buried 
die day after that, because, you know, I must 
be for the first night drawing water — but my 
poor husband wiU help me to bring the water; 
and if I want to be buried at Mncruss with 
my brothers, they^d diink more of their wives^ 
as *tis only right and proper they shoukl.'* 

The ktter part of this speech, indeed all 
that the old woman had said, would have been 
unintelligible to me, was I not aware that the 
Irish peasantry consider the state after death 
to be a mataial one, where long journeys have 
to be performed and certadn duties fulfilled* 

I have little to say about the dinner which 
Mr« Lynch gave me at Garden Cottage. It 
was. an excellent homely meal, comfortably 
served and seasoned by the true sauce piquant 
of Ireland — a hearty welcome. 

'* How infinitely to be preferred,'' said I^ 
** are these cuts of hrcMled salmon, this |^in 
ymt of salted mutton^ and these well cooked 
potatoes, and verdant vegetables, to the highly 
seasoned dishes t have eaten even from the 
classic Cuisine of Ude.'' 

" Ude/* interrupted Mr. Lynch^ " have I 
not heard that name before ?'' 



rUNEBALS AND WAKES. 81 

" Very probably you have/' said I; " Ude's 
fame is boundless as is his talent. Does not 
LondoQ resound from St. James's to Ireland's 
favoured colonyi St. Giles's, with the celebrity 
of this Professor of the culinary art i Are not 
his bon mots the fortune of the magazines and 
newspapers f In short, English literature boasts 
a Ude and a Rogers, while we have our Nor- 
bury." 

<' But," said Mr. Lynch, '' I rather think I 
have seen the Professor as you cbH him-^what 
sort of a man is he r" 

'^ There is a portrait which you may see 
prised to his immortal tome on French 
cookery, but, between ourselves, that is by no 
means flattering to the Professor. Ude is far 
from being the black muzzled do^ there repre- 
seoted — ^his countenance is frank and fat, and 
there is an air of pensive enthusiasm about it,, 
which reminds one of bis unfortunate master, 
Louis XVL Ude boasts of having beeti ad- 
mitted to die confidence of no less than eight 
sovereigns." 

" Yes," said Mr. Lynch, wilh a peculiar 
expression, his countenance rather indicative 
of a Kolaod for an Oliver, " it is^— it most be. 

VOL. II. G 



to I fc^MMM— I 



82 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

— I can guess now who the mysterious stranger 
was that late one eveniog last autumn arrived 
at Gorham*8^ and created such a hubbub in the 
house, sacreing every dish placed before him 
— kicking the waiter, assaulting the cook with 
her own spit, dressing propria manu a strange 
dish with game and ham and herbs and sauces, 
speechifying in half French, half Elnglish, to a 
mob of people — Gorham and all his inmates 
-r-abusing Irish cookery, to which he attributed 
the barbarous state of the country, lecturing 
them on the noble science, and, finally, disap- 
pearing no one knew how." 

'^ Aut Ude — ^aut diabolus, no question,^' said 
I ; ^\ but this conversation is unsuitable to the 
evening." 

Over a moderate glass our discourse now 
became what artists term more in keeping. I 
could not refrain from making some observa- 
tions on the various scenes of the morning — 
the chapel — the church — and what left a still 
deeper impression than either, the singular 
mendicant we had encountered. 

" There is something very strange," said I, 
^' in that poor old woman's notions of a future 
state, which probably arise from the doctrine 



FUNEBALS AND WAKES. . 83 

or purgatorj; anil then her plan for an eco- 
nomical wake — I wish I had sketched the 
hag, to add to my Tuneral collections, aa she 
really was not an unpicturesque figure," 

" Funeral collections:" repeated Mr, Lynch, 
" what do you meat) by funeral collections?'* 

'< I can soon explain myself — Sketches illus- 
trative of funerals and wakes in Ireland, which 
have always appeared to me peculiar and ro- 
mantic. Here is my sketch book — this was 
made the other evening in Mucruss — a mother 
and a daughter over the grave of a lost child 
and sister. 



And here — here is the widow soliciting alms 



64 LEGBNDS OF THE LAKES. 

on the road <ide, to enable her to give her 
husband Christian burial." 



" Oh, here is the funeral procession itself," 
said Mr. Lynch, turning over the leaf of my 
sketch book. " The keeners wailing over and 
beside the coflSn, which is borne on a herse, 
or rather a cart with a triumphal canopy, — the 
pole-bearers io advance, and the long pro- 
cesstou trailing through the mountains. 



FUNUALS AND WAKES. 



" It is quite correct," coatinued Mr. Ljnch ; 
"I have myself seen a funeral procession ex- 
teod nearly three miles-'— perhaps you may like 
to have an account of a child's wake, which I 
wrote immediately after the occurrence. — I 
found it amongst the papers I have been 
turning over in search of materials for your 
Guide Book; and I was on the point of 
Dinging it into the fire this morning. Tliere 
it is on the chimney-piece." 

*' Read— read," said I. 

".A hem." — " It was with a feeling of 



86 LEGENDS OF THE LAK£S. 

cootent and pleasure, that on the Christmas 
eve of 18^6 I gazed around nij cottage kit> 
chen, and saw that it was duly decked with 
holly ; the dark green leaves and red berries 
mingling fantastically with the bright tin ves> 
sels which hung upon the white walls. 

^' I confess that I am partial to old customs — 
I have even no objection to an old superstition, 
provided it be harmless. I did not, therefore, 
quarrel with the block that was blazing on the 
kitchen hearth, nor object to the enormous 
candle lit in order to bring in the joyous an- 
niversary of Christmas. 

^^ Scarcely, was the evening circle formed 
around the fire, when I was startled by a 
loud wailing. The Irish funeral cry is at all 
times a wild and melancholy sound, but at this 
moment of festivity^ the contrast made it ap- 
pear more than usually sad ; and as it mingled 
fitfully with the wind that moaned without, it 
occasionally assumed an unearthly cadence, that 
might seem to a fanciful mind, the wail of 
some wandering spirit. 

*' The Lord presarve us !" cried Debby the 
maid, ^' the luord presarve us ! its the Banshee 
I wonder who's to go now." 



■WWII ■ ^1 w 



FUNEBALS AND WAKES« 87 

" Psha ! don't be foolish," said I ; " I will 
soon find out what occasions this noise. So 
saying, I walked into the hall and put on my 
hat. At once every voice was raised to dis- 
suade me from attempting so hazardous an 
enterprise, but all in vain; I was obstinately 
bent upon proceeding, and amid warning looks, 
and prognosticating nods, I took my departure. 

^^ The night was dark, so dark, indeed, that 
the pathway from my cottage was hardly to 
be discerned, and as I pursued the direction 
from which the cry seemed to proceed, I was 
obliged to keep close to the road wall. I had 
not advanced many yards, when the voice of 
sorrow died away, and no other sound was to 
be heard, save the fitful breath of the blast 
as it whistled drearily through the leafless 
branches of some old trees which overhung the 
road. I am not superstitious, and yet, I con- 
fess that I did feel certain sensations, which 
of course reason, if I had been able to reason 
at the moment, would have checked; it was 
therefore with something of pleasure, that I 
reached the cabin of a poor man named Sul- 
livan. As I approached the door, I heard a 
low moan from within, and immediately con- 



86 LEGENDS OF 7VE LAKES. 

cloded that th6 ullagone or death crj, i^'liich 
occasioned tne to saliy forth, proceeded from 
thence. But when I raised die latch, and 
looked about the interior of the cabin, what 
words can express the misery that met my 
view ! 

'^ Sullivan's house judged, from its outward 
appearance, might be deemed a more comfort- 
able dwelJing than what usually falls to the lot 
of an Irish peasant ; for it had a slate roof, 
and two windows without the usual accom^ 
paniment of some straw, or an old bat to 
supply the place of the broken glass ; but ao « 
sooner did I enter, than every idea of comfort 
vanished. There was the high roof without 
any intervening loft; the cold and damp 
earthen floor broken into a hundred heights 
and hollows: the whole length of the house 
without any division to render it less dreary ; 
the door through whose crevices the wintry 
gale entered at will ; the black and smoky 
walls ; and a spark of fire almost extinguished 
by the darkness of the huge vent in which it 
glimmered, and wbich scarcely afforded the 
id^a of warmth. A few rash-bottom^d cbair9| 
a small table, with a wretched beditead, and a 



MBOIfffn 



FUN£RALS AND WAKES. 89 

woEse bed, placed, for the sake of wanntb, 
close to the beartb, were the oolj fiimiture to 
be seen id this cheerless dwelling. The table 
stood at the foot of the bed, and on it laj the 
corpse of a little boy about four years old ; 
his daiic hair sleeked over his marble brow, 
and his snowy lids sending their long fringes 
over his calm and palid cheeks. On one side 
sat the mother, with a look of anguish, and a 
low moan, rocking her body to and fro. On 
the other side a little girl had clambered up, 
and was endeavouring to open her brother's 
leaden lids. Two young girls, the sisters of 
the deceased, sat upon the bedstead ; while the 
unfortunate fisither, with clasped hands and a 
look of patient endurance, bent over the com- 
fortless hearth. 

'' The body of the corpse was covered with 
a white sheet, borrowed for the occasion from 
some richer neighbour ; on its feet was placed 
a large plate of tobacco, and a candle was 
burning at each side. This was all the pre- 
paration they had been able to make for the 
wake, and this in itself was a sufficient proof 
of their poverty ; as the people on such occa- 
sions seldom spare any expense within their 






90 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

power. The first thing which struck me on 
entering this house of mourning, was the ex- 
treme emptiness of the place; and this ap- 
peared the more extraordinary, as the peasantry 
think it meritorious to sit up with the dead, 
and usually on such occasions assemble in 
great numbers; for ' to be spent well with^ 
and to have ^ a good berrin ' are matters of 
great importance to the lower orders of the 
Irish. 

'' Upon inquiry, I found this desertion pro* 
ceeded from the festival of Christmas — no one 
being willing to go from*home on such an 
evening. ' And sure we can't blame them/ 
said the poor man, * for it's only what we'd do 
ourselves ; but I expect them about nine or ten 
o'clock, and then they'll sit with us till the bell 
rings for morning's mass." At the time spe- 
cified, the company dropped in by degrees, till 
at length the house was full. The men took 
their places in silence, but some of the women 
occasionally walked over to the corpse and 
raised the funeral cry. Smoking and conver* 
sation served to pass away the time, — ^the merits 
of different keeners were discussed, and many 
a tale was told of ghosts and banshees, fairies 



J^iA. 



FUNERALS AND WAKES. 91 

and fetches. One which I happen to reoiem* 
ber, I shall write, though not in the precise 
words of the narrator. 

** Tom Coghlan one evening returned to his 
house, expecting to find the fire blazing, the 
potatoes boiling, his wife smiling, and his 
children as merry as grigs. And without doubt 
these things are a great comfort to a poor man; 
but it wasn't Tom's luck to find matters as he 
expected ; for there was no fire, and his wife 
was scolding, and the children were all crying 
from hunger. F'oor Tom was quite dumbfoun- 
dered to find matters going on so badly; for 
though there were potatoes enough in the 
house, there wasn't so much as a brosna to 
boil them with. What was to be done i After 
considering for some time^ he bethought him- 
self of the great furze bushes which grew in 
the old fort on the top of Knockanes, and 
snatching up a billhook away he went. Before 
he reached the top of the hill, the sun had 
gone down, and the moon had risen above the 
eastern hills ; wide and vast was the prospect 
disclosed by her wavering, watery light; for 
on the one hand might be seen the Bay of 



g$ LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

Tralee with ks full sparkling tide, from v^hose 
verge uprose Slieve Misb, Cahir-CoQ-righy 
and that vast chain of mountains extending to 
the west, while the towns of Blennerville and 
Tralee slept dim-discovered in the valley 
beneath ; on the other band, lay the bare and 
barren sandhills, the wide-extending common 
of Ardfert, and the broad*s weeping strand 
which skirted the billowy bay of Ballyheigb. 
And far to the west, the mighty Atlantic 
rolled its waste of waters unbounded and un^ 
shackled, save where, to the right and left, the 
misty forms of Brandon Hill and Kerry Head, 
like the horns of a vast crescent, shot out far 
into the restless deep. 

*^ Such was the prospect which lay before the 
unobservant eye of Toni Coghlan, who saw 
nothing but the old fort, which superstition 
had taught him to consider as an airy and a 
fearful place ; the breeze which faintly rustled 
amid the bushes was to him a sound of terror, 
and the distant murmur of the deep, booming 
through the silence of the night, struck his 
spirit with a mysterious and indefinable awe. 
Conquering his fear, however, as he approached 



^ — 



FUNEBALS AND WAKES. QS 

ibe fort, and remembering that his Ghildren 
^ere as yet without their supper, he raised bis 
ar&i in act ta feU one of the large furze bushes 
which grew on the embankment, when its 
descent was suddenly arrested by the sound of 
a small shrill voice. The startled workman let 
the billhook drop from his grasp, as looking up 
he beheld — perched upon a furze bush — a little 
old man, not more than a foot and a half high, 
with a face nearly the colour of a tawny 
mushroom ; his little sparkling eyes, twinkled 
like Kerry stones in the dark, and illumined 
his distorted visage, which was surmoiinted by 
a bng red cap, something in the shape of an 
extinguisher; his body was small and bore no 
proportion to his limbs which were unusually 
long. Such was the extraordinary being who 
interrupted Tom Coghlan at his work, and 
whom r shall distinguish by the name of 
Liitle Redcap. 

^ ^ O ho !' said the littk Redcap^, * is that 
what you'd be after, Mister Tommy Coghlan ? 
What did me or mine ever do to you, that you 
should come cutting down our bushes V 

"* Why then nothing at all, your honour,* 



94 LEGENDS OF THE LAKESv 

said Tom/recovering a little froin bis fright^ 
< why then nothing at ell, your honour, only 
the poor little childer were crying with the 
hunger, and I thought Td just make bould to 
cut a bush or two to bile the praties with, for 
we hadn't so much as a brosna in the house.* 

^' * You mustn't cut down the bushe^ Tom/ 
said the little Redcap, ^ but as you are an 
honest man Fll buy them from you, though 
I've a better right to them than you have ; 
but the quiet way is the best always, so if you 
take my advice, you'll carry this quern home 
with you, and let the bushes alone.' ' Quern, 
indeed !' said Tom, at the same time giving a 
look of astonishment ; for it was so small that 
he might have put it with all ease into his 
breeches pocket; 'quern, indeed! and what 
good will that bit of a quern do me i sure it 
wont bile the praties for the grawls /' * What 
good will it do you?' said the little Redcap, 
' ril tell you what good it will do you — it will 
make you and your family as strong and as fat 
as so many stall-fed bullocks ; and if it won't 
bile the praties, it will do a great deal better, 
for you have only to turn it about, and it will 



FUNilaALS AND WAKES. 93 

give you the greatest plenty of elegant meal ; 
but, if ever you sell any of it, that moment the 
quern will lose its virtue.' 

^' 'It's a bargain/ said Tom, 'so give me 
the quern, and you're heartily welcome to the 
bushes.' 

" * There it is for you, Tom,' said the little 
Redcap, at the same time throwing it down to 
him ; ' there it is for you, and much good may 
it do you, but remember you are not to sell 
the meal on .any accounts' 

'' * Let me alone for that,' said Tom, as he 
made the best of his way home, where his wife 
was trying to comfort the children, and won- 
dering all the time what in the world could 
keep Tom out so long; but when she saw him 
return without so much as a kippen to boil the 
potatoes with, her wrath, which had been re<^ 
pressed for the last half hour, burst out like 
Beamish and Crawford's bottled piorter when 
the cork is drawn. ^ Wisha then !* said she, 
' isn't this a poor case, to say you'd come in 
widout any thing to bile the praties, and I 
breaking my heart this two hours trying to 
keep the childer quiet. But I suppose you 
were at the shebeen-house, instead of minding 



96 LEGENDS OP THE LAKES. 

me or mine — If I had to travel about with a 
cad an^ skiver an' a bag oo my back, I won't 
put up wid you any longer, yoa nasty, drunken, 
gomal of a baste,^ Here s)ie paused for \i^nt 
of breath, and Tom, taking the opportunity to 
put in a word, said ' Arrah, then can't you be 
as^, Judy I mind you indeed, may be I wrasn't 
minding you why. See that now, for a thing 
I brought you;' continued Tom, at the same 
time pulling the quern out of his pocket 

** * O you ounshaugh of a gomal F roared 
Judy, ^ what good are those two little stones, 
— will they feed the grawls "i tell me that, you 
natural V 

<< « Feed the graiwh! fakes an' 'tis they that 
will," said Tom. So he told her all about the 
little quern, and how he got it from the red- 
capped fairy* 

" * We'll try it directly,' said Judy ; and 
they pulled the big table into the middle of 
the floor, and commenced grinding away with 
the quern. Before long the most beautiful 
meal began to come from it, aiid in a short 
time they had every vessel in the house full. 
Judy was quite delighted, and the children 
managed as well as they could for that night 



FUNERALS AND WAKES. 97 

by eating plenty of the raw meak For a long 
time things went on very well, the quern giving 
them food in abundance; till they all grew as 
fat and sleek as coach-horses. Unfortunately 
one day, Judy^, being at a great loss for a little 
money, was tempted to take a few pecks of 
the meal, and sell it in the town of Tralee; 
but if she did, sorry enough she was for it ; 
for from that day out, the quern lost all its 
'irtue, and if Tom was grinding for ever, it 
wouldnU give them a taste of meal. Tom 
couldn't for the life of him find out the reason, 
for Judy was afraid to tell him about her selling 
the meal; so putting his billhook under his 
arm, away he went to the old fort, determined 
io be revenged on little Redcap„ by cutting 
down his bushes. 

*^ Scarcely had he commenced the work, 
when the little Redcap made his appearance : 
mighty angry he was that Tom should come 
cutting his bushes, alter having made a fair 
bargain with him ; but Tom, nothing daunted, 
was, as stiff as he was stout, and told him that 
^ he was a deceitful little ugly vagabond, to 
give him a quern that wasn't worth a thraneen^ 

VOL. lu u 



98 . LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

and that if he didii^t give him a good one for 
it^ he'd cut down every bush in the fbrt.^ 

^^ ' What a buUamskiagh you are, Mister 
Tom/ said the little Redcap, ^ but you'd better 
be easy and let the bushes alone, or may be 
80 well you'd pay for it ; deceive you, indeed ! 
didn't I tell you the quern would lose its 
power, if you sold any of the meal ?* 

" * And sure* I didn't either,' said Tonu 
' Well, it's all one for that,' answered the little 
Redcap, * for if you didn't^ your wife did ; and 
as to giving you another quern, it's out of the 
question, for we have but one in the fort you 
see, and a hard battle we fought, to get it from 
another party of the good people. But Til 
tell you what I'll do with you, Tom ; let the 
bushes alone, and I'll make a doctor of you.' 

" * A doctor, indeed ! may be it's a fool 
you're making of me/ said Tom. But 'twas 
no such thing, for the little Redcap gave Tom 
Coghlan some charm or pther, that he never 
failed to kill or to cure with whoever he took 
in hands, just like other doctors; and Tom 
became a great man, and made up a long 
purse, and gave good laming to his poor 



l^UNERALS AND WAKES. 99 

cbildren that he left crying at home after him 
the night he first met the fairy in the old fort 
And one of them he made a priest of — and 
another a grand biitter-merchant in Blarney 
lane — and the youngest son being ever and 
always a well spoken boy, he made him a 
counsellor — and his two daughters are well 
married — and Tom's wife is dead, and he's a 
happy man as can be/' 



LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 



THE LAKE OF KILLBRAN. 
This is Monday morning j and now I have 
breakfasted, what's to be done f I'll see what 
the Gorham advises. 

" Waiter, if Mr. Gorham is not particularly 
engaged, I should be glad to speak to him." 

" He's just gone to look after the eagles in 
the yard, sir; but I'll go and tell him." 

" No — stop, I'll go myself — I should like 
much to have a look at his pets — I remember 
Doolan mentioned them to me." 

In the stable yard an hostler directed me to 
where these noble birds were ; but I was mis- 
informed as to Mr. Gorham's movements, for 
he was not there. However, I had sufficient 
employment for nearly an hour in making 
some studies from them in my sketch book — 
Here are two of the most characteristic. 




THE LAKE OF KILLBRAN. 101 

On my return I found Mr. Lynch lolling 
upon the sofa in my room. The usual greet- 
ings over, he anticipated my question of wfaat^s 
to be done ? by commencing as follows :— ^^ You 
are now/' said he, *^ pretty well acquainted with 
the kingdom of Kerry, and I suppose you intend 
shortly to take your departure ; nevertheless, 
if not restricted by time, as you are a curious 
little body, there are one or two rambles which 
I wish to lead you ; and though they may not 
be perhaps so interesting as those which you 
have already enjoyed, I think it right, consi- 
dering your intended Guide Book, that you 
should see every thing, good and bad, as the 
Irish phrase runs, before you depart for the 
chalky cliffs of happy England. For instance, 
you have not seen the Park, in which there is 
a very pretty glen — there's the wild country too 
beyond the park, with the little Lake of Kill- 
bran, about which I have a story — the Glen of 
Ahahunnig — the Druidical Circle — and Labig 
Owen, or Owen's Bed, at Philadown, in 
Glanflesk.'' 

" All which i am determined to see," said 
I, " not being restricted to time, or now as to 
money, thanks to my good mother's remit- 
tance." 



hb. &I *ii ifcaaUMi i*<fc I II I ' - "W - ■ ^ -/-'*-- 1 V* • ,g^ • , •m,mmt\um-mt ' 'imiim nm, rii 



102 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES* 

** Well theoy that being the case, I think 
we had better proceed at once." 

*^ With all my heart — ^horses shall be at the 
door directly/' 

'' Horses ! what do yon want horses for ? 
Noy no^ you must make use of your legs to- 
day; and, certainly, I shall have no great 
opinion of Dr. Green's vapour bath, if you 
cannot venture on a day's walk." 

'* Be it as you will,'' said I, ^ but not a 
word against the vapour bath." And away we 
went along the Main street, till we reached its 
extremity ; then turning to the right, we entered 
upon the Castle Island road. 

^' What deplorable cabins!" I exclaimed, as 
we passed a row of the most miserable dwell- 
ings I had ever beheld, and which stood a 
disgrace to Killamey. 

" I wonder at you," said Mr. Lynch, with 
a smile, <^ to speak thus of Mrs. Falvey's 
freeholds. I assure you the fair owner is very 
partial to this property, having, I understand, 
rejected several very good offers made to her 
by Lord Kenmare, if she would only let these 
deplorable cabins, as you call them, be pulled 
down. But no, it would never do to destroy 
so many comfortable habitations; besides, what 



ilii-M' 



THE LAKE OF KILLBRAN. 103 

trould become of Killarney, if the inmates of 
these hovels were obliged to emigrate; alas, 
if that were the case, there would be a lament-* 
able want of beggars in the town ; for here 
dwell (hose kind hearted people who were the 
first to hail your arrival, and who will anxiously 
crowd to witness your departure." 

Leaving Mrs. Falvey's freeholds and the 
hospital behind, we in a short time reached 
the entrance to Lord Kenmare's park, distant 
about half a mile from Killarney. The park 
is situated ou one of those hills which rise be- 
hind the town, and is agreeably broken. It is 
richly wooded with ancient oaks; but its chief 
attraction is a romantic glen, through which 
rushes the Dinah, now cascading over dark 
rocky ledges, now brawling along its pebbly 
bed^ and not unfrequently dimpling into little 
pools; while the woods at each side overhang, 
and frequently overarch the stream, which in 
some places appears to gush from their very 
branches. At each side of the stream there is 
a commodious walk; sometimes running close 
to the water, sometimes rising high above it. 
And from the bridge there is an agreeable 
vieW; for on looking down you behold the 






104 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

stream brawling along till completely lost 
amid the woods. I was informed that this 
spot was formerly a place much resorted to 
by the towns-people ; at that time there were 
rustic chairs and pavilions scattered through 
the glen, which was frequented by evening 
parties, who would here sip their tea and keep 
up the merry dance, to the astonishment of the 
startled deer, even until the moon rose upon 
their revels. But the place is now neglected; 
the walks are overgrown with grass and weeds, 
the seats, the pavilion, and even a wooden 
bridge, which once served for ornament and 
use, have disappeared — nay, the very deer have 
been banished, and the park is now undergoing 
a course of tillage. 

From the glen, which is in the northern part 
of the park, we walked to the hill on the op- 
posite side, at the summit of which there is 
a gate, dividing Mr. Cronin's portion of the 
park from that kept by Lord Kenmare in his 
own hands. We then strolled leisurely towards 
Mr. Cronin's, or, as it is usually called, the 
Park house. 

Passing out of the park by the back gate, 
near Mr. Cronin^s house, we found ourselves 



THE LAKE OF KILLBBAN. . 105 

on the old road leading to Kanturk, and along 
this we traveiredy in order to reach the Lake 
of Kill bran. There was nothing attractive in 
the country on either side, which consisted of 
coarsis stony farms, that seemed to promise but 
a poor recompense to the hand of industry. 
After walking about a mile we turned off to 
the left, into a by-road, at a place where I 
remarked a rude stone-capped well, called the 
Spa of TuUig. From thence, proceeding about 
half a mile further, we passed a little wooded 
glen, or rather hollow, on the left hand side of 
the road, and shortly after reached the Lake 
of Killbran. This is a small lake, situated on 
a green height, from whence there is a wild 
prospect of a broken country, interspersed with 
bogs and valleys, till bounded to the north by 
the mountains, in the neighbourhood of Tralee. 
The land was remarkably barren and destitute 
of wood, except here and there a few trees 
scattered about the cabins of the peasantry, or 
where the fir plantations of Gleun a Heelah 
and Farm Lodge appeared — but these were as 
specks, compared with the extent of the land- 
scape, and could therefore little affect the 
general character of barrenness. 



106 . LEGENDS OF THE LAKES.' 

*' And is this," said I, " what you have 
brought me to see? Truly, I think weliave 
had a most unprofitable journey." 

'*Come, that's not fair," returned Mr. Lynch, 
'^ I told you that you must ■ take the good and 
the bad together; it was not for the sake of the 
prospect I brought you here, but merely because 
it is the scene of a legend with which I am 
acquainted. I believe that every lake in Ireland 
has some story attached to it; but the first 
notice I received of this was that there lived a 
big worm, as big as a colt, in Loch Bran. 
Having little else to do, I made a journey 
hither to inquire into the matter, and accosting 
the first countryman I met, asked him if there 
had not been a ^ big worm ' seen in the lake. 

" * Oh then, sure enough there is one,' said 
he, ' as big as a couU^ with a great bushy tail, 
that comes up out of the water sometimes ; by 
the same token that Jerry Finigan was near 
being kUt by him; for he went for his coult 
in the gray of the morning, and was just putting 
the bridle on the big worm, when he broke 
away and ran into the lake. And of another 
time he was near killing a man, a cousin of my 
own — one Moriarty, who was ploughing near 



1 



THE LAKE OF KILLBRAN. 107 

the lake — a qvare lake it is any how, and 
couldn^t have been a lake always^ for when 
the water is low you may see the remains of 
an ould ditch running across the bottom of it ; 
and there was a big piece of timber found in 
it, with an auger hole bored through it; so I 
suppose there was people living there, till the 
flood came and drownded them/ 

'^ Having made inquiries of this kind in 
various quarters, I at length succeeded in ob- 
taining the best information which can bo 
procured relative to the Lake of Killbran, and 
which I here beg leave to present you with. 

** In the good old times there existed in 
Ireland a race of mortals, who, under the de- 
nomination of ' poor scholars,' used to travel 
from parish to parish, and county to county, 
in order to increase their stock of knowledge. 
These poor scholars were, for the most part, 
men of from twenty to five-and- twenty years 
of age; and as they were also agreeable, social 
fellows, who during their peregrinations had 
acquired a fund of anecdote, could tell a good 
story, and never refused to lend a helping hand 
in any business that was going forward, th^y 



108 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

were received with a caed mille faultha* at 
every farmer's bouse throughout the country, 
where they were welcome to stay as long as 
they pleased. 

'^ It happened one evening in the month of 
July^ that one of these peripatetics, a stout, 
platter-faced mortal^ by name Darby O'Reily 
(the very same it was who invented the famous 
stone soup), made his appearance at the house 
of the widow Fleming, who dwelt not far from 
the old church of Kilcummin. Now, the 
widow Fleming, who since her husband's death 
had taken the entire management of a large 
farm upon herself, was very glad to see Darby 
O'Reily for a variety of reasons. In the first 
place, it was the hay harvest, and Darby would 
lend a helping hand, and keep the men in good 
humour at their work with his merry stories; 
then he could teach the children great ABC 
of an evening, and then she was a lone woman, 
and Darby was a pleasant companion, and an 
old acquaintance moreover. Whether this last 
idea was of deeper root than the others, is 

* A hundred thousand welcomes. 



THE LAKE OF KILLBRAK. 109 

not for me to say, but certain it is that 
Darby received on the present occasion more 
than a common welcome from the widow 
Fleming. After having partaken of the good 
cheer which the widow set before him in the 
greatest profusion, and having renewed his 
acquaintance with the inmates of the house, 
even to Darby the dog that was called after 
him, and the cat ; he proposed to step down 
to the parish jighouse, just to shuffle the brogue 
with hia old sweethearts, hear the news, and 
see how the neighbours were getting on, for it 
was near a twelvemonth since he had been in 
that part of the country. Now, whether it 
was the mention of sweethearts that disagreed 
with the widow, or whatever else might have 
been the cause, it is certain that she was much 
against Darby's going to the jighouse; but 
seeing that she could not with any decency or 
effect gainsay his intentions, she was obliged 
to assent, at the same time, however, warning 
him to be back early, and not to keep up the 
house. Away he went to the jighouse, where 
he found.himself quite at home, and as welcome 
as the flowers of May. Fine fun he had of 
itj, for the pipes played merrily up, while he 



1 10 LEGEISDS OF THE Xi^KES. 

footed it bravely with the prettiest girls and 
best moneen jiggers io all the Barony. To 
speak the truth, he wasn't a bad hand at a jig 
himself, for there were few could equal him in 
the ' heel and toe' step, and then he put such 
life and spirit into his motions, that he made 
the house ring again with his grinding and the 
merry snap of his fingers. But your dancing 
is droughty work, — ^at least Darby O'Reily 
was of that opinion, although there was no 
fear of his dying for the want of a drop to 
drink ; as he had news for the old, and stories 
for the young, till at last it was Darby here, 
and Darby there, and who but Darby f The 
soul of merriment, and the prince of good 
fellows, every one striving who should be the 
first to treat him. Darby soon became as com^ 
fortable as any gentleman could wish to be. 

'^ But while Darby was drinking, and danc- 
ing, and making merry, he neVer remembered 
it was time to go home, or bestowed a single 
thought upon the widow Fleming's good advice, 
which was very ungrateful of him, considering 
the civil way she had behaved to him, and that 
she was even then herself sitting up waiting 
his return. 



THE LAKE OF KILLBRAN. 1 1 1 

<< The longest day will have an end, and the 
greatest merriment must at length give way to 
repose^ as Darby found to his sorrow, when 
the party broke up, and he had to stagger 
away as well as he could. He was so much 
'in the wind ' that he didn't well know which 
way he was going, and as bad luck would have 
it| he went every way but the right ; for instead 
of keeping the straight road, by way of making 
a short cut, he turned off through the fields, 
and after wandering about for as good as an 
hour, where should he find himself but in the 
old fort at Claunteens. A bad place it is to 
get into at the dead hour of the night, when 
the good people are going their rounds, and 
making merry, as Darby soon found ; for 
though it was easy enough to get into the fort, 
he couldn't get out again for the life of him ; 
it even appeared to him as if the fort had in- 
creased its dimensions to a boundless extent. 
He wandered up and down and round about 
for a long time without ever being able to get 
out, and was obliged at last to content himself 
where he was, so down he sat on a stone. 
^ There's small fun sitting on a coidd stone in 
the moonshine,' muttered Darby ; ' and sure 



1 12 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

it's a pitiful case to^be bewitched by the fairies 
— the good people, I mean, and stuck fast in 
the middle of an ould fort; but there's no help 
for it, so what can't be cured must be endured/ 
No sooner had he come to this very wise con- 
clusion, than he heard a most tremendous 
hammering under the very stone he was sitting 
on. 

" ' O Darby P cried he, * what'll become of 
you now ?' 

*' Plucking up his courage, he boldly took a 
peep beneath the stone, when, what should he 
see, but a Cluricaune sitting under a projecting 
ledge of what had been his seat, and hammering 
as hard as he could at the heel of an old shoe. 
Although Darby was very much afraid of the 
fairies, he wasn't a bit in dread of the Cluri- 
caune; for they say, if you catch a Cluricaune 
and keep him fast, hell show you where his 
purse is hid, and make a rich man of you. But 
it wasn't thinking of purses Darby was, for 
he'd rather be out of the fort than to get all 
the purses in the world. So when he saw the 
Cluricaune, it came into his head that may. 
be he'd lend him a helping hand, for tliey say 
the little fellow is fond of a drop himself. 



THE LAKE OF K1LLBRAK. 1 IS 

' Success to youy my boy, you are a good 

faatid at a shoe anyhow/ said Darby, addressing 

himself to the Cluricaune. 

" * Ah ! Darby my jolly buck, is that you ?* 

said the Cluricaune, getting up from his work, 

and looking him full in the face. 

'* * The very same, at your honour^s sarvicCf 

answered Darby. 

« < What brought you here ?' said the Cluri* 

caune, ,f I'm thinking you've got yourself into 

a bit of a scrape.' 

^* * Fakes then, your honour, I'm thinking 
the very same,' said Darby, *if your honour 
doesn't lend me a helping hand.' So he told 
him how he stopped at the widow Fleming's, 
bow he went down to the jighouse, and being 
a litt]e overtaken in liquor, how he wandered 
through the fields until he found himself in the 
old fort, and wasn't able to make his way out 
again. 

• **•' You're in a bad case, Darby,' said the 
Cluricaune, ^ for the good people will be here 
directly, and if they find you before them, 
Darby, they'll play the puck with you.' 

" * Oh, murder!' cried Darby, * I throw my 
life upon the heel of your honour's shoe.^ 

VOL, II. I 



I 14 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

*' * Well,' said the Cluricaune * you're a 
rollocking lad as ever tipped a can, and it's a 
pity any harm should ever come of taking a 
drop of good drink. So give me your hand, 
and I'll save you. And as you never did any 
hurt to me or mine, VH <io more than that 
for you, Darby. Here, take this charm, and 
you are made for ever, my man.' 

" * And v(hat's the nathur of it ?' said 
parby, at the same time putting it into his 
right hand breeches pocket, and buttoning it 
up tight. 

" 'I'll tell you that,* said the Cluricaune; 
^ if you only pin it to the petticoat of the first 
woman in the land, she'll follow you the wide 
world over ; and that's no bad thing for a poor 
scholar.' So saying, the Cluricaune took him 
out of the fort, put him on the straight road, 
and wishing him success with the charm, burst 
into a fit of laughter and disappeared. 

" * Good riddance of you any how,— ^but 'tis , 
an ugly laugh you have with you,' said Darby, 
as he made the best qf his way to the widow 
Fleming^s, who was iq no great humour ; and 
no wonder, to he kept up so late by such a 
drunken bktherum as Darby. Now, when h« 



THE LAKE OF KILLBHAN. 115 

saw the widow in a bit of a fret, ^ Ho ! by my 
sowl,^ said he, ^ I've the cure in, my breeches 
pocket' So with that he outs with the charm, 
and pinned it slyly to the widow's gown. ^ I\e 
charmed her now/ says Darby, ' if there's any 
truth in that little chap of a Cluricaune.' And 
certainly there was soon a wonderful change in 
the widow, who, from, being as glum as a misty 
morning, became as. soft as- buttep. So very 
careful was she of Darby, that, late as it was, 
she ma()e down a good fire, lest he should be 
cold after the night, brought him a supper of 
the best the house could afford, and had as 
much cooram about him as if he was lord 
of the land. Darby grinned with delight at 
the success of his charm; but be was soon 
made to grin at the wrong side of his mouth, 
for. the widow in the midst* of her love chanced 
to discover the charm that was pinned to the 
tail of her gown.^ 

" ' What'a tliis you've pinned to my gown, 
you rogue you?' said she, at the same. time 
flinging it into the fire. 

" * Botheration/ roared Paddy, ' I'm settled 
for now ;' and no wonder he should roar, for 
the charm took instant effect.^ and the "fire. 



1 16 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES: 

jumped holus bolus after Darby, who made 
for the door, and away he went as fast as his 
legs could carry him. But if he did, the fire 
came after him, roaring and blazing, as if there 
were a thousand tar-barrels in the middle of it. 
Away be ran for the bare life, across the coun- 
try, over hedge and ditch, for as good as two 
miles; neither stopping nor staying till he 
came to a deep well on a high farm, between 
Tullig and Gleun a Heelah, when who should 
he meet but his old friend the Cluricaune. 
' Arrah Darby !' says the little fellow, ^ you 
seem to be in a wonderful hurry; where are 
you going so fast, man, that you wouldn't stop , 
to spake to an old acquaintance V 

^* * Bad luck to you, you deceitful hop of 
my thumb/ said Darby ; ' for sure it's all along 
of you and your charm that I'm iu the neat 
way I am this blessed night.' 

^' * And that's my thanks for saving you 
from the good people,' says the Cluricaune. 
^ Very well. Mister Darby, there's the fire at 
your heels, and who's to save you now ?' 

** * O! thunder alive ! sure you wouldn't be 
after sarving Darby that way.' 

« ' Well,' said the Cluricaune, ' I'll take 



THE LAKE OF KILLBRAN; 11? 

compassion od you this once; so here's my 
advice, leap into the welly and you'll be safe/- 

^^ ' Is it into the well you manty says Darby, 
* why then do you take me for a fool entirely V 

** ' O ! you're a very wise man to be sure, 
seeing youVe a scholar, Darby; so you may 
take your own way if you like, and welcome. 
Good night to you, Darby O'Reily,' said the 
spiteful little fellow, slapping his cocked hat 
on his head, and walking oiF with a mosi 
malicious grin. ' Good night to you, Darby 
O'Reily.' 

'^ ^ Murder ! murder !' shouted Darby, for 
by this time the fire had come so near that it 
began to scorch him ; when seeing there was 
no alternative, and thinking it better to be 
drowned than burned, he made a desperate 
plunge into the well. 

^' Souse he went into the well, and souse 
went the fire after him. Immediately the 
tirater bubbled, sparkled, growled, and rose 
above the verge of the well, filling with the 
velocity of lightning all the adjacent hollow 
ground, until it formed one of those little 
sparkling lakes which are so numerous in this 
hilly country. 



/ 



1 18 LEGENDS DF THE LAKESi 

^' Darby was borne with the speed of a 
whirlwind on the top of a curling billow, and 
cast senseless on the shore. The first thing 
he saw on awaking from his trance was the 
sun shining over him ; the first voice he heard 
was that of the widow Fleming, who had tra> 
veiled far and near in search of him ; and the 
first word Darby uttered, upon thoroughly 
recovering himself^ was, ' Bad luck to the 
good people, for sure 'tis they that have been 
playing tricks upon me all the night.' Then 
he up and told the widow Fleming and the 
neighbours the whole history of his night's 
adventure. 

" ' It's drunk you were, Darby, and you 
know it,' said the widow ; * you're a bad 
boy. Darby.' 

" But whatever was the cause, whether 
Darby got the charm from the Cluricaune or 
not, it is certain that the widow Fleming not 
long after became Mrs. O'Reily, and that 
Ldch Bran or the Lake of the burning Cole 
is to be seen to this day." 



119 



CHAP. VIL 

AHAHUNNIG. 

The road from Killbran to Killaraey is a 
continued descent ; on our return we stopped 
for a few minutes at the Spa of Tullig, which 
as I have before said is a little stone-capped 
neglected mineral spring, situated on the side 
of the road, and having a rough furze-clad hill 
rising immediately behind it. Leaving the 
Spa, we crossed a little stream near it, through 
which at the same moment a woman was 
driving some cows ; and as her figure afforded 
no bad illustration of the costume of the female 
peasantry, I was induced to transfer it to my 
sketch book. She was barefooted, and under 
her green stuff gown, which was carefully pinned 
up behind, appeared a red quilted petticoat. 
The bottom of her blue frieze cloak was thrown 
over her right shoulder in rather graceful folds, 
and her head was enveloped in its formally 
plaited hood. With a kippen or switch in her 
left hand she urged the cattle forward, singing 
a wild melody ; while her right hand, placed 



120 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

akimbo, served to balance the milk pail which 
she carried on her head. 



We now regained the Kanturk road, and 
turning to the right entered a pass or hollow in 
the road formed by two bills which descended on 
niher side. These hills were wild, heathy, and 
covered with furze ; a few naked rocks were 
Scattered through the hollow, and not unfre- 



▲HAHUNNIG. 121 

quently a patriarchal goat showed his revereDd 
beard as he stood looking down in apparently 
philosophical contemplation on the travellers 
|)elow, ThQ streamlet which we had crossed 
made sw.eet music as it brawled along beneath 
the broad shadow of the hill^ conveying an 
idea of coolDess^ doubly grateful from the 
consciousness that we were walking in a sultry 
autumnal day. 

As we continued our course through the 
pass we had a fine view of the mountains, 
the Lower Lake reposing at their base, with 
a broken country, and the rich oak woods of 
the park, forming a beautiful foreground. On 
our descent we gradually lost sight of the lake, 
and arrived at Tiernabowl we could only see 
the tops of the woods and mountains, save 
where to the left Coltsman's Castle presented 
itself to view, backed by the mighty Manger** 
ton^ and the mountains of Loch Kittane and 
Glanflesk. 

Tiernabowl is the name given to this dis* 
trict generally. Tierna signifies a lord or chief; 
l^owl) according to the country people's trana* 
lation, a spot or place. Hence Tiernabowl 
appears to imply the chieftain's seat. It was 



122 LE6ENBS OF THE LAKES. 

formerly a lordship of the Mac »Sweeny, and 
is still inhabited bj many of that name ; but a 
few miserable cabins by the road side, mih 
some sheltering trees, are all that Tiernabowl 
can now boast of. 

Instead of pursuing the road to Killarney, 
we turned off by a pathway to the left, for we 
had seen from Tiernabowl a hollow or glen 
which appeared worthy of being explored. 
Following this path, we had immediately be- 
neath us a stony ravine, and bounding the 
eastern horizon appeared those singularly 
shaped mountains called the Paps. On reach- 
ing a farmhouse we descended into the Glen 
of Ahaliunnig, and lost sight of every thing 
except the hills which immediately enclosed 
us. 

The part of the Glen into which we had 
descended was rugged and uncultivated, having 
only an unequal covering of furze mingled with 
grey stones which lay scattered about the 
bottom, and were traditionally said to be the 
relics of fairy warfare. There was also here 
a want of correspondence in the sides of tlie 
Glen ; the one sloping down, while the other 
fell suddenly to the verge of the brawling 



I 

i 



AHAHUNN16. 123 

Stream^ and exhibited a white gravellj surface^ 
as if the soil had gradually crumbled away, 
and left it thus bare and abrupt* 




Pursuing the course of the stream, or 
rather its bed, for like most hill-born streams 
it is nearly dry in summer^ we entered the 
wooded part of the Glen. Near the com- 
mencement of the wood, which is of oak, 
sweeping at either side down to the stream, 
we observed one tree of a particular formation, 
and close to it a a large stone bearing the fol- 
lowing nearly obliterated inscription : 



MAY HE, LIKE ME, MfeET DUE DISGRACE. 



M SWY (M* Sweeny) TOOK ME FROM MY PLACE 



" Come Lynch," said I, " let me see how 
you can sketch — here^s an easy subject fot 



-* -. 



124 LEGENDS OP THE LAKES. 

you — that stone, with the general character of 
the tree — don't trouble yourself with the lesser 
branches. 




*' Yes, that will do very well indeed — you'll 
be a capital artist in time — I must have the 
sketch for tny Guide Book." 
* " Much flattered truly," replied Mr. Lynch, 
*' by your commendations — ^you .really make 
me quite proud, but I assure you I am not a 
draftsman." 

'* Nor a poet. Lynch f" 

" Oh, that is quite a different thing — but my 
sketch will at least show how well adapted the 
tree is for the purpose to which it was ap- 
plied." 

^^ Adapted for the purpose to which it was 
applied — 19 this the gallows tree then ?— Yoi* 



AHAHUNNIG. }25 

mean ^ Susper Col,* as such affairs stand upoo 
official record — hanging, I suppose V 

^^ Well guessed/' said Mr. Lynch, ^^ though 
the Irish as a nation are not much given to the 
vice of suicide per strangulation, having ^uffi* 
cient of hanging matches at every assizes to 
satisfy the national curiosity on that point — 
yet this inscription and this tree remain in 
remembrance of rather a melancholy story/' 

*' I should like to hear a melancholy story/' 
said I, ^' above all things — pray make it ^s 
dismal as you can, for I see you are inventing/' 

" No ! I give you my word/' said Mr. Lynch, 
" I am not inventing, at least upon the present 
occasion. It was a long time before I could 
learn any thing concerning this tree and in^ 
scribed stone, although I had made repeated 
inquiries, till chance threw me in the way of 
an old man who related the tradition, which 
tradition together with the narrator have since 
nearly passed away from the memory of man. 
The Mac Sweenys were originally inhabitants 
of the north of Ireland. There were three 
chiefs of that name all descended from the 
O'Neils — viz. Mac Sweeny Fdnaide, Mac 
.Sweeny Badhuine, and Mac Sweeny^na- 



1 



126 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

dtuadh, or Mac Sweeay of the battle-axes. 
These chiefs were all of the same family. In 
the thirteenth century a party, headed by the 
two latter, made an adventuring excursion into 
Munster, where they joined in the feuds of 
the south, and becoming auxiliaries to the 
Mac Carthys of Muskerry and Carberry, ac- 
quired some disputed ground under these chiefs 
whom they served. From him of the battle 
axes the Mac Sweenys of Tiemabowl are 
descended.*' 

'< You are as good a genealogist Lynch, as 
Ulster himself.'' 

^' There is now no chieftain," continued 
Mr. Lynch " of the name in Kerry. The last 
chief of the Mac Sweenys many years ago 
inhabited a thatched farmhouse in the neigh- 
bourhood of TiernabowL A proud man he 
was of his descent, and though he had lost the 
greater part of his estates in the revolution of 
1698, and was outlawed before the surrender 
of Limerick, he still managed to keep up the 
style and consequence of an Irish chief. The 
bard and the jester haunted his fireside ; and 
crowds of idle followers, who knew no restraint 
but their lord's will, were ready to obey him« 



AHAHUNNie. 127 

Jn fact, under the command of Mac Sweeny, 
a formidable gang of freebooters, termed Rap- 
parees from the half4)ikes or short sticks which 
they carried, sprung up, who devastated the 
country for miles around. And although plun- 
dering both the partisans of James and William, 
the security afforded by the woods, as well as 
the strength of Mac Sweeny's mountain fast- 
nesses^ rendered pursuit from either side after 
cattle or goods an idle task, 

*-^ One evening in the stormy month of No* 
vember, the desperate dwellers in Tiernabowl 
were collected around a blazing turf fire, 
anxious for the return of their chief, who had 
gone the preceding night on some secret expe- 
dition, when suddenly above the sighing of the 
rising wind was heard the tramp of a horse. 

" ' 'Tis the coppul duvCy'* exclaimed Giila- 
roo, who was Mac Sweeny's confidential man, 
and whp received his name from the long^ 
flatted red locks which overshadowed his wea- 
ther-beaten countenance; ^ 'tis the coppul duve, 
and herd's the Mac Sweeny coming surely.' 

^^ A shrill and well known whistle verified 
Gilla-roo's assertion, and instantly out rushed 



12@ LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

the clansmen, each bearing in his band a 
blazing torch of the dry and splintered bog 
deal. Great 9 however, was their wonder at 
perceiving seated on his dark horse before the 
chieftain, the fair form of a maiden, who was 
> consigned with few words to the rough guar- 
dianship of Gilla-roo. 

" * Keep her safely," said Mac Sweeny ; 
* when I was the lord of unproclaimed lands, 
the proud Margaret Barry rejected my suit— =• 
Now that I am a poor outlaw, with no ground 
but what 1 stand on my own, she shall be mine.^ 

^^ Before daybreak the following morning, 
Mac Sweeny departed from Tiemabowl at 
the head of his retainers on a plundering ex^ 
cursion. It was his last, and few who accom- 
panied him ever returned. Gilla*roo alone, 
much to his dissatisfaction, was left behind to 
guard the fair captive — slight guard did so 
delicate and drooping a girl seem to require. 

r 

Gilla-roo was kind to her in his own rough 
way ; he procured for her every comfort in his 
power, and permitted her to range the glen : 
fatal permission ! the second morning after the 
chieftain^s departure, she was found suspended 



AHAHUNNIG. 129 

from this veiy tree, after having carved her 
malediction on the rock. 

^^ It is said that on the eve of this event, the 
form of the ilUfated Margaret is seen flitting 
through the glen, and her voice has been heard, 
not after the wailing manner of the Banshee, 
but in shouts of triumphant laughter, which 
quicken the breath and curdle the blood of the 
hearer. 

" Years have passed away — more than a 
century has elapsed, and the story is nearly 
forgotten. This tree and this stone alone re- 
main as memorials of deeds and of days which 
the peasant no longer remembers, save when, 
perhaps, during the darkness of the night, he 
traverses the Glen of Ahahunpig, and piously 
crossing himself mutters a prayer for the repose 
of ^ the White Maiden of Tiernabowl,' although 
in ignorance of her name and unfortunate 
history." 

When Mr. Lynch had concluded his story, 
we arose to pursue our way through the glen ; 
and though the golden light of a setting sun 
made its way through the interstices of the 
branches, and shot athwart our path, I almost 
expected to see the form of the White Maiden 

VOL. 11. • K 



ISO LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

emerge from some of the recesses of the wood. 
Issuing from the glen, we foand ourselves close 
to the bridge of Balljcasbeen on the Cork 
road. 

^* Suppose/' said Mr. Lynch, as we stood 
on the bridge, ^^ that instead of going direct 
to Killamejy we visit the Druids' Circle; it is 
not far from this, and there is yet sufficient 
daylight." 

'* With all my heart," said I; " my object is 
to see every thing." 

From the bridge we ascended, part of the 
hill, and turning into a field on the left hand 
side of the road, in a short time reached the 
object of our search. As a rough sketch will 
assist my description, here is one. 





The Druids' Circle consists of a circular em* 
bankment, resembling those commonly called 



AHAHUNNIG. I5l 

in Ireland Daniati Forts; within which are 
placed seven rude upright stones. These stones 
are about three, and a half feet in height, are 
distant from each other about four feet and a 
half, and from, the embankment twenty-five 
(this, as the reader will perceive, is not very 
accurately expressed in the sketch). The cir- 
cumference of the area within the embankment 
is about one hundred and three feet. Thirtyi- 
jsix feet distant from the embankment on the 
southern side, and seven feet from each other^ 
stand two upright stones of much larger dimen- 
sions than those within the circle. They are 
about twelve feet in circumference, and seven 
in height. On oue of these some aspirant after 
fame has carved 

« JOHN LEOPOLD CAMPBELL OF DUBLIN/' 

I therefore most kindly giye him the full 
advantage of my volume to hand his name and 
residence down to posterity [ 

While Mr. Lynch and I were, busily, engaged 
in measuring this ancient monument, a couur 
tryman returning from his day's work, prompted. 
I doubt, not by curiosity, approached us« 

*^ Deus MiragudXGod and the Virgin swm 
jou)," said he 



13£ LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

" De U8 Miragud agus Espadrig (God and 
the Virgin, and St. Patrick save you)/' replied 
Mr, Lynch, which is more than many other 
conscientious Protestants would have said, for 
abhorring all such idolatrous invocations, they 
usually answer the common salutation of 
" De us miragud" with " Ge moo Dea lat^'*^ 
that is, God be with you. Mr. Lynch, how- 
ever, was not quite so scrupulous, and his reply 
was the more agreeable to our visiter, who 
quickly began to talk without restraint. 

" Why then," said he, " thero are quare 
stones sure enough, and it's a wonder how they 
4;ame here; they must have been very strong 
men that could lift them, any how." 

" That's very true, indeed," said Mr. Lynch, 
''but did you ever hear auy old story about 
them ? I suppose it must have been the giants 
who lived in Ireland long ago, that brought 
them here." 

" Why then that's the very thij)g that's said 
about them, surely ; but myself believes they 
were rale people, who was enchanted by 
Donald Egeelagh, that lives in Loch-lane." 

" Indeed ! and how was that ?" said I. 

'^ Your honour must know then, that a long 
time ago, there was two giants you see, and 



AHAHUNN1G. 133 

they had seven sonS; and these two big stones 
are. the giants^ and the seven little ones are 
their childer ^ nnd they thought to conquer the 
country and bate all before them, so they made 
war upon Donald Egeelagh (Daniel of the 
lake), who lived down at Ross there — a mighty 
great prince he was, and a great enchanter; 
so when he couldn't get the better of the 
giants and their seven sons by fair fighting, he 
went to his enchantments, and turned them 
into stones, and here they are from that day to 
this. It's myself wouldn't believe a word of 
it, if it wasn't that Tim Mulcaliy swore (and 
sure. he wouldn't sware to a lie), that as he was 
passing by late at night of a May eve, what 
shoulcLhe see, but the two big stones turned 
into giants again, and the seven little ones that 
are their childer dancing like* any thing round 
and round in the middle of the fort. And sure 
there's something quare in the looks of them 
for stones ; there was sijantleman once came 
axing myself about them, and when I showed 
them to him, he said they were the very things 
he wanted, for he saw them all the ways from 
the top of a big church in the city of Roomy 
and sure how could he do that if there wasn't 
enchantment upon them f " 



134 LEGENSrS OF THE LAKES. 

' " Very fair reasoning certainly/' said Mr. 
Lynch ; '^ but as it is growing late we must bid 
you good bye, — stay, here's a trifle to drink our 
healths.'' 

<' Ocb, by the powers, and it's I'll do that 
same cleverly, and success to your honour; and 
may you and yours never want by night or by 
day, but have all sorts of luck and ybr/tn." 

The last red streak of light was fading away 
from the western sky, as we entered the town 
of Killarney ; and that had again given place 
to the sober gray of twilight, as we re-established 
ourselves in Gorham's comfortable parlour. 

No lamps, as in London, arose twinkling 
along the street, each after each giving its 
gaseous star to view, at the magical touch of 
the lamplighter. The only lamps Killarney can 
boast of are the two which grace the rival inns. 
They indeed shine unrivalled, and by their 
light, as we looked from the parlour window, 
might be discovered various groups of boatmen 
and others, recounting the toils, the gains, and 
the adventures of the day ; by the rays of Gor- 
ham's lamp, I observed my oldcrewin close 
consultation. 

'* I wonder what the fellows are at!" said 1 
to Mr. Lynch, '* no good, I am certain." But 



AHAHUNNIG. 135 

all wonder was soon put an end to by Doolan^ 
wboy perceiving us at the window, approached 
hat in hand, with — '' Thunder alive ! your ho- 
nour, only think of the mistake we made in 
not christening a rock for your honour, that it 
might ever and always have your honour's name 
upon it. Why, then, that was a mistake and 
a half sure enough ; but if s no matter, for 
better late than never; and there's Murphy 
(Father Murphy they calls him, for 'tis he 
christens the islands) says it will do as well 
now, and that heUl engage to christen a rock 
after your honour/' 

'^ As to a rock being christened after me, 
Doolan, my honour is really very indifferent 
about that honour; Crofton Croker Island 
being already quietly established in the north 
channel of Lake Huron, thanks to my worthy 
friend, Captain Bayfield. But I understand 
your application — all christenings are accom- 
panied by merry-making, so here's a crown 
towards the purchasing whiskey. And now 
I have a right to ask how the ceremony is 
performed." 

" Why, then, I'll tell you that, sir — but, sure, 
wherever else you may have an island, you have 



*"*^^« -*.■.. '•— --- ^_/.--v* 



L _ 



136 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

not one at Killarney, where, above all places in 
the wide world, you ought; so the next time we 
go out on the lake, you see^ weUl take Murphy 
with us, because why he'll be the priest ; and 
when we come to the rock or island that's to 
have your honour's name upon it, then Father- 
Murphy will stand up, and say, ^ In nomine 
oculi mei atque Betty Martini oculi, I call 
you Croker's Island;' with that heMl throw 
a bottle of whiskey agin it, then a shot will 
be fired, and we'll all give three shouts for 
Croker's Island; then we'll land and drink your 
honour's health; and that's the way we christens 
the islands*." 

* I cannot resist making a long extract from '^ poor 
Anne Plumptre's" Tour in Ireland, that lady having been 
actually present at a Killarney christening. — " Seveiul 
islands," writes Miss Plumptre, " were pointed out to 
me by the names which they bore, some others were not 
particularized ; and inquiring what their names were, I 
was told they had none. — ' How happens that?* I a^ed. 
They did not know ; the others had been named by dif- 
ferent parties visiting the lakes, and nobody had had 
the fancy to give them names ; if I had no objection, 
they should like very much to name one after me : then 
pointing to a rock very near us, they said, that had no 
name, we might land and christen it. I would not, how- 
evet, permit my name to be given, as the habit of the 
world has been ever to pronounce it as if it were a plum- 



AHAHUNNI6. 13? 

" And a very good way it is, Doolan — wish- 
ing yoa much pleasure at the christening, I 
now wish you good night." 

'* And a very good night to your own honour," 
returned Doolan, *' and long life to you/^ 

*^ He forgot to tell you,'' said Mr. Lynch, 
who had remained silent during this audience, 
'' that there is one rock in the Upper Lake 
which has been christened a thousand times 
after as many people ; so, you see, you are not 
very likely to establish your name among the 
rocks of Loch Lane. Miss Plummer was far 
more fortunate.*' 

txee; I was sure that the island would never be called 
any thing but Plum-tree Island ; and a tradition would 
soon be affixed to it, that it was once covered with plum- 
trees. I therefore declined being godmother, at least so 
far as giving my own name to it was concerned ; but the 
men seemed to have a great desire that it should be 
christened, and begged that I would give it some name, 
any that I fancied. ' Very well,' I said ; ' it shall be 
called Kean's Island, after Mr. Kean the great actor.' 
Oh they had often heard of him ; they should like that 
name exceedingly ; they wished he would come to Kil- 
laroey. We landed then ; it was a pretty rock, witli 
some arbutuses and other shrubs and plants growing 
upon it ; the people were all ranged in a circle, in the 
midst of which the bugle horn-player, who I found was 
the established clergyman upon these occasions, came 
forward in the proper formulary, in a jargon of English, 



•"v. 



>. ^*.-»«. -. ' ^.^-<— V * 



138 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

** Miss Plummer/' said I, '' should be, I 
fancy^ Miss Plumptre — to be sure^ there is no 
use in arguing against popular names, yet allow 
me to tell you my reasons for venturing this 
conjecture. If you ha?e read that lady's 
quarto *' — 

^' I never read quartos/' said Mr. Lynch. 

'* Well, I, who have read it, can inform you 
that Miss Plumptre gives an account of the 
naming of an island or rock after Mr. Keati.'' 

« And what of that f" 

*' Now I am coming to the point — ^for which 
said Miss Plumptre most good-naturedly paid 

Irish, and Latin, perfectly unintelligible to me; then 
applying to me as godmother, I gave the name, ynYnsAt 
he repeated with the addition of a little more jargon; 
and the ceremony was concluded with throwing down 
upon the rock a bottle of whiskey, which was dashed to 
pieces. This part, I own, surprised me not a little; I 
should never have expected to see a bottle of whiskey 
thus disposed of; but the island they all said would not 
have been regularly christened without it. Now, they 
added, it could never have any other name*than Kean*s 
Island, and as such it would be pointed out to all future 
navigators on the lake. I should like much to know 
whether it ever has been so to one. The conclusion 
was, a hope that the crew might have a bowl of punch, 
when they got home in the evening, to drink the god- 
mother's health. I then perfectly understood the general 
eagerness for the christening.'' 



AHAHUNNIG. 139 

the piper, by treating the boat's crew. I have 
no doubt this was done in a liberal manner, 
and that the island in question has gone by her 
name, mispronounced Pluroroer, instead of 
Mr. Kean's. I am further confirmed in my 
conjecture, from not finding Miss Plummer's 
enumerated in any list of the islands which 
had been published before the appearance of 
Miss Plumptre's book — look, for instance, at 
that in the Postchaise Companion through 
Ireland, where it is not." 

'* All this is very important," said Mr. Lynch, 
** as you doubtless will make a page out of it 
in your Guide Book — but it is growing late, 
and I must depart — remember that to-morrow 
we set out for Loch Kittane and Philadown, 
and shall probably spend a night in the glens." 



140 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 



CHAP. VIII. 



LOCH KITTANE. 



In pursuance of our intention of visiting Loch 
Klttane and Philadown, having furnished our- 
selves with every thing necessary, we left Gor- 
ham's on foot early in the morning, and took 
the road which leads to Mucruss. As this route 
has already been sufficiently described, I shall 
merely say that the road to Loch Kittane turns 
off to the left, exactly opposite the abbey gate, 
having a farm house on its left, and on its 
right the hill of Kiliagy, easily recognised by 
the little tower which rises from the burial 
ground on the summit. 

We, however, did not proceed so far as the 
abbey gate, but a short way beyond the carriage 
entrance to Castle Lough, turned off by an old 
neglected road, termed a Bohereen. In this 
matter I merely followed the guidance of 
Mr. Lynch, and I have no reason to regret my 
passiveness on the occasion, as by so doing I 
had a magnificent view of the Lower Lake. 
This was obtained by leaving the road and 



LOCH KITTANE. 141 

gaining a bill, a movement, to use the military 
phrase^ accomplished without the loss of ground. 
Immediately beneath us lay Castle Lough Bay, 
with the wide stretch of water extending from 
theuce to the opposite mountain of Glens^, 
To the south was the wooded and varied 
peninsula of Mucruss, behind which towered 
the pointed Turk, stretching away to the 
Eagle's Nest, with here and there a glimpse 
of the Middle Lake at it« base. And in the 
distance appeared Macgillicuddy's Reeks and 
Xhe giant mountains of the Upper Lake. To 
the north was seen the woods of Castle Lough, 
Cabirnane, and Ross Island. The western 
portion of the lake did not from this point of 
view present so wide a sheet of water as the 
eastern, because Innisfallen and the Brown 
Island, appearing like a continuation of Ross, 
stretched far into the lake, narrowing its waters^ 
and giving this division rather the appearance 
of a large winding river than part of a wide* 
spreading lake. On the northern shore might 
be discerned Grenagh and Lakefield, backed 
by the woods of Mieniska, the hill of Aghadoe> 
and the distant mountains of Castiemain and 
Tralee^ which, from the haze of an autumnal 



142 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

day, it required a keen eye to discover. The 
whole formed, as prospect-hanters would say, 
as fine a view as can well be imagined. 

Extent is somehow always confounded with 
picturesque beauty, when applied to the land- 
scape by writers who are not artists.- I know 
just sufficient of art to save me from making 
the assertion; but I. will be equally candid, 
and confess that the woods, the mountains, 
and the works on Ross Island — the contrast 
between rude nature and green cultivated fields 
— the lake, now broad and unbroken, save by 
a few gem-like islands, and now narrowed to 
the dimensions of a river — now sweeping into 
magnificent bays, and now presenting a long 
unbroken line of richly wooded coast — while 
over the whole was shed the cloudy efiects of 
autumn — now a tender streak of light glancing 
along the waters^^the waves now leaping in 
dazzling brightness, and now rippling down 
into darkness and repose. All these varied 
objects and effects gave me so much delight, 
that I felt little regret at the slight progress I 
had made in the knowledge of art, if art indeed 
could make rae look without admiration on a 
scene like this. 






LOCH KITTANE. 143 

Turning to the east, we had before us a wild 
country, and close to us, in a hollow of the 
hill, a little heart-^aped lake, called Lough 
Ardagh, remarkable only for the profusion of 
camomile which grew on its borders. 

Descending the southern side of the hill, we 
gained. the road to Loch Kittane, which we 
had not long pursued before our attention was 
arrested by a busy hum, proceeding from a 
cabin on the road side ; and we soon discovered 
it to be what is commonly called a hedge school 
or Kerry college. 

Although not a Belzoni in stature, by dint 
of stooping only I contrived to gain admittance 
among the busy inmates; and upon my entrance 
the hum of the students rehearsing their lessons 
increased to such a marvellous degree, that I 
could scarcely hear, or cause to be heard, the 
salutation which I addressed to the dread ruler 
of this learned abode. Mr. Lynch followed me, 
although on his part it required a much more 
considerable exertion, in the way of depres- 
sion, to gain admittance; but once within, there 
was ample room for the tallest man beneath 
the thatched roof which rose from the low mud 



144 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

walls. This roof displayed, stuck between its 
*' 8cragh9 and thievaneSj"* an ample stock of 
coverless Vosters, copy books, slates, and gray 
goose quills, with two or three pendent racks, 
made of the branchy fir, for the benefit of such 
pupils as had either caps or hats to hang upon 
them. The interior of the whole cabin wore 
a black lackered appearance, conferred upon it 
by the smoke of many a winter's fire, the hearth 
for which stood beneath a huge vent, occupying 
the full breadth of one of the gabies. At each 
side of the door was a little window about a 
foot square. But, on the whole, Mr. Casey's 
college was rather a respectable edifice of the 
description; for it could boast two real deal 
forms, and instead of turf benches there were, 
three fir spars placed along the wall, each end 
supported by stones, in order to elevate the 
students to a comfortable sitting height. There 
was, moreover, a table for the use of writers 
and cipherers. Of all these accommodations 
Mr. Casey seemed not a little proud, as he sat 
enthroned on a rush-bottomed chair, which he 
facetiously termed his '^ Sanctum Sanctorum." 
. " Whisht there, will ye, by's^ and let the 



j 



LOCH KITTANE. 145 

gentlemen spake^'*^ roared Mr. Casey, at the 
same time flourishing his rod of power, by 
way of enforcing his commands. 

^' You have a good school, Mr. Casey, and 
very well attended," said Mr. Lynch. 

** Why, I may say, there's worse to be found 
elsewhere, though 'tis I that say it, that shouldn't 
say it ; but 'tis nothing to spake about now to 
what it is in the winter, because why the b^s 
are minding the harvest and herding the cattle 
on the mountains ; 'tis the busy time now, and 
their faders and muders, God help them, can't 
spare the chUder from the work to the laming^* 

** I dare say some of your scholars are pretty 
far advanced," said I. 

** You will see, sir, in a minute— Come up 
here, you Murty Murphy, and bring your 
Voshter wid you ; do you hear me now Pm 
Bpaking to you f " 

Up came Murty, Voster in hand, a carroty- 
pated boy, dressed in a loose frieze coat, sheep- 
skin breeches open at the knees, and having 
neither shoes nor stockings, to conceal a pair of 
well mottled shins, the effects of his chimney 
corner cogitations. 

Having heard Murty, with a rich br<^e, go 

VOL. 11. L 



146 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

through a sum in the Rule of Three Direct^ 
we bade farewell to Mr. Casey and his college, 
though strongly urged by him to remain for 
the radingf quilling, and even for the abece- 
derians^ 

" Och/' said he, " Murty*s nothing to be 
proud about to my little abecederians ; they're 
rale genusesj every mother's sowl of them, in 
their way." 

" Mr. Byrne was a man 
Of very great big knowledge, sir,''-^ 

hummed Mr. Lynch, as we proceeded on our 
way. 

^' Oh, that's Spillane^s song,"^ said I, *' do 
you know it, Lynch f ** 

" I remember part of it,** replied Mr. Lyncli^^ 
** but you've put me out, so I'll come to the 
chorus, and try if I can give you a verse or 
two. 

" Qh, the master by the fireside. 

With Paudeen on his knee,^ 
Both roaring out together 

Great ABC. 

" And now what's next V^ 



LOCH KITTANE. 147 

*^ Great A he disoompared 

To a cabin's gable end, sir; 
And B it stood for butter, 

That we to market send, sir ;■ 
C for half a griddle, 

H, the great big haggard gate, sir, 
I, a pitchfork stuck in the ground, 

And K it stands for Kate, sir."* 

*^ Shall I give the dialogue which follows d 
la Mathews?*' iaquired Mr. Lynch. 
" Oh, by all nieaos." 

'^ Here„ by'$y shake a grain of straw along the wall for 
the little girls to sit on — ^throw your tur& in the comer — 
and bring over my stool here close to the fire. I thought 
I*d toiM you before, Felix, to bring a sod of turf every 
morning? — Sit down, sir, — ^sit down, I say,, on the floor 
along with the rest and get your lesson, and don't let 
me see you near the fire all this blessed day. Now, ln/$y 
what are you after? — Silence! — A-h ab; ^^»-g bag — 
Silence ! — Jem Dogherty, whip the door off the hinges 
and clap it on this row of sods — there now, borrow a bit 
of chalk from Kemahan, till I write a large hand copy 
— hum buzz — ^ba, be, bi, bo, bu, buzz — ^Terry Flanagan, 
come over here — Arrah, why but you come, sir, when I 
bid you? — See here, spell me this word — Con-stan-ti- 
no-ple — B\/$y that's tbe name of the grand Turk !— See 
what it is to know navigation — I don't suppose there's 
a man in the barony, barring myself and the priest, could 
tell you who Constantinople is 1" 

" Bravo, Lynch, bravo I" 



i48 LEGENDS OP THE LAKES. 

" Upon my word you're welcome; 

Pray what kept you till now, sir ? 
Indeed it was my father. 

He sent me for the cow, sir. 
I would have brought you some firesh eggs. 

But the hens they were not laying. 
Go long — sit down — I'll beat you well, 

For I know you have been playing, 

" What have you been about this morning? — ^Where's 
your book ?— take off your hat, you dunce, take it off — 
stand up in the corner — keep your fingers out of your 
mouth — ^Ah, you dog, I'll flog you first, and then cut 
the sowl out you after, so I will — ^how dare you mitch fi^m 
school? — What kept you, 1 say? — Sir, it was— Silence 
in a moment ; how dare you, sir, say a word when I'm 
ipakiTig ? Och, I'll let your Baither know the courses you 

carry on in Sir, it was my mother bid me say she'll 

be much obliged to you to come over at dinner time.— 
Put on your hat, Paddy, you're a well reared boy, and 
I'll make a man of you — Oh your mother, Paddy, is the 
woman that will have luck. Tell her I'll be there as* 
strict as if it was a binch warrant — take care how you go 
across the river, it's very deep — ^O you'll be a bishop 
yet, Paddy ; it'll be seen who taught you. 

^ So when I'm late for school. 

The excuse 'twill be my mother, sir ; 
And when that one won't do, 

I'll try and make another, sir. 
For my mother is a good man, 

And so, sir, is my daddy — 
And 'twill not be my feult 

If I'm not their own Baddy O* 



LOCH KITTANE. 149 

^* And how did you get home yesterday, Pat dear? 
and how is all your very good father's fEimily?— dome 
here now, and let me see how you'll read this little 
gtory. — ^A boy w-e-n-t went out one day to rob birds' 
aests, but he had not g, gone far w-h-^n when he met 
a 1-i-t lit, t-l-e til (that's ' little/ Paddy) met a litUe girl 
— ^Ay, Paddy, mind that; if he had been going to school 
that would not have happened him — Stick to your book, 
Paddy, and tak« care you meet no- little girls — met a 
titde girl with a jug— ^-That's my pointet^-Stand over 
there and let me see the fire — No, I won't — Silence there, 
silence, I say, or I'll be the death of ye all — ^buzz — ^buzz 
— ^hum." 

'^ Well done, Lynch ! — an excellent picture, 
by my word, of a Kerry college !" 

The road leading to Loch Kittane runs along 
the base of Mangerton, having that mountain 
on the right, with the Devil's Punch bowl 
and the Glen of the Horse. The foreground 
is composed of rock and heath, and was covered 
with numerous flocks of goats. The country 
to the left of the road consists of dreary bogs 
and extensive heaths; here and there, indeed, 
an attempt at cultivation appears; and in such 
places the wretched fields are surrounded by 
walls of the loose gray stones which had been 
collected from the surface, while frequently a 
considerable portion of the fields themselves 



-*• --f 



150 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

were occupied bj large heaps of the same kind. 
Sometimes^ however, a round cultivated swell, 
and a secluded green hollow, would show 
themselves amid the unprofitable waste by 
which they were surrounded. The road, never- 
theless, was tolerably romantic ; and with the 
assistance of Mr. Lynch's song, I found suffi- 
cient to amiise and interest me, until we reached 
the shore of Loch Kittane, at that point where 
the river, emerging from its north-western 
extremity, proceeds to join the Flesk, which 
after many a winding, and receiving many 
tributary streams in its course, discharges it^ 
waters into the Lower Lake of Killamey. 

Loch Kittane, at the distance, of about foui* 
or five miles to the south-east of Killamey, isi 
situated in a nook formed by the mountains of 
Mangerton and Crobane. In size it is nearly 
the same as the Middle Lake of Killamey, that 
is, if the various bays and indentations of thd 
latter are left out of the account. Loch Kit^ 
tane can boast of but one small island, and its 
greatest sweep of water seems to run from 
south-east to north-west. Its northern shore 
consists almost entirely of bo^, but it is a bog 
which might easily be improved ; in the north- 



' - . * - 



LOCH KITTANE. 151 

eastern corner^ oo rising ground^ is a cultivated 
farm, which, though in any other situation it 
would hardly be noticed, yet here, from the 
contrast between it and the surrounding shores, 
has an agreeable effect. The western shore 
is also a cultivated hill, but the eastern and 
southern boundaries are entirely rocky and 
precipitous mountains, except to the south- 
east, where a rugged glen, called Kippoch, 
runs for a short distance between the mountains 
of Crohane and Mangerton ; his glen is par- 
tially cultivated, and contains a few cabins, but 
the irregular outline of the mountains which 
back it is highly picturesque. 

In the course of our ramble round the lake, 
we entered a cabin in Kippoch, in search of 
legendary lore, and here we found only a little 
boy : his father and mother, he said, were gone 
to Killarney ; and from the extreme caution of 
his answers, and the difficulty of extracting any 
information from him, I verily believe that he 
took us for tithe proctors, collectors of church 
rates, or excisemen. 

" Is the ground good here ?" inquired Mr, 
Lynch. 

I 



159 LEGRNDS OF THE LAKES. 

'^I don't know," was the reply; certainly 
the question was rather a suspicious <»ie. 

" Do you keep many cows f ** 

« I don't know/' 

" Are there any blackberries here f (we had 
observed a great profusion of them.) 

" I don't know.'* 

*^ Have yon a head on your shoulders ?" 

'' Eagh !" 

^* Did you ever hear of a big worm in the 
lake?" 

This question seemed to rouse the boy a 
little ; I suppose from the natural desire we 
all feel to deal in the marvellous. 

*' The worm is it, fakes then sure enough^ 
there is a big worm in the lake." 

**How large is it?" 

'* Why then, it's as big as a horse, and has a 
great big mane upon it, so it has." 

" Did you ever see it ? 

" No, myself never seed the sarpint^ but it's 
all ode, for sure Padrig a Fineen did." 

'* And where does Mister Fineen live ?" 

*^ Beyond there in Kippoch, where die trees 
are." 



« - 



LOCH KITTANE. 153 

On this iDteliigence^ we set off for Mister 
Fineen^s dwelling, to which the trees were a 
sure guide^ as there were no others in the ne^h* 
bburhood, and even these did not muster to 
more than hal^ a dozen, in the immediate 
neighbourhood of a coupie of cabins. 

Arrived at Mr. Fineen's^ we found two 
smoky cabins, inhabited by as many families ; 
a parcel of children were playing in the dirt 
before the door of one of them, and the 
youngest of the group was rolling about 
among the pigs on some wet litter, in a state 
of nature. 

Mister Fineen was absent; but his better 
balf^ a fresh looking country wench, informed 
us that he had never seen any such thing as a 
worm or sarpint, but that once upon a time, 
and a very good time it was, he thought he 
saw something like a dog or a quare baste 
rolling in the water. 

Disappointed in our expectations, we were 
about to retire, when the owner of the next 
cabin stepped forward and — and what ? I sup- 
pose the reader thinks and told us a story — he 
did no such thing. 



154 LEGENDS OF THE LAEES. 

Wbat theuf he stepped forward aod most 
hospitably offered us potatoes, and butter, and 
eggs, and milk, which invitatioD, let me tell 
yon, among the classic mountains of Kerry is 
not to be refused. Here is the group as we 
entered the cabin. - 



I shared the potatoes of hese poor people 
with an appetite and a relish, which could such 
matters be purchased were worthy of attention 

" Now, Lynch, I'll try an Irish lore song : 



LOCH KITTANE. 155 

White yoa my fair the praties peel 

With irresistless art, 
Alike I smile — alike I feel 

Thy nails within my heart. 

The smoking jTrafy's doom*d to know 

That soon its pangs will end. 
While I alas — alas — alas — 

I have broken down." 

^' No more vaunting now, if you please/* 
said Mr. Lynch, "over * the grand roaster.'" 

A shilling given to one of the children by 
Mr. Lynch (I think he selected the hero of 
the potato pot to be the receiver of his liberal 
donation), called down upon us a hundred 
thousand blessings from these poor people. 

^^ Such a world of thanks, and wishes, and 
blessings,'' said I, '* that seem to come so from 
the heart, is cheaply purchased, Lynch, by that 
sovereign." 

'* A sovereign ! It may be very well for you 
London folk to talk thus! but you seem to 
forget that I am a poor half«pay creature, and 
know the value of a sovereign! I gave the 
urchin a shilling, and most liberal payment it 
was. None was expected, and I was therefore 
obliged to make our acknowledgments accept- 



156 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

able in the shape of a gift to the youngest 
child, to whom I should have given sixpence 
instead of a shilling had I happened to have 
one in my pocket ; that is, you knovir, double 
a Kerry bank note/' 

** You do not mean to say that you have 
threepenny bank notes ?'* 

" Not at present," replied Mr, Lynch, 
*^ but such things have been, as I can prove to 
you on our return to Kiliarney." 

The appearance of Loch Kittane, from its 
proximity to the mountains, is in general dark ; 
and not unfrequently the mountain breeze 
lashes its waters into foam, and sends tbem in 
thundering waves against the shores; like all 
lakes, it is sometimes calm and bright, but 
whether calm or stormy, it is a romantic spot, 
and wants but the fostering hand of man to 
render it delightful. For the tasteful angler, 
Loch Kittane has many attractions, being,' in 
addition to its situation, well stored with ex* 
cellent trout. Its chief fault ia the total absence 
of wood on its banks; if trees were added. Loch 
Kittane would be highly romantic ; for during 
our circumambulation, we discovered many a 
fairy nook^ where Mr. Lynch would fain have 



- - -* -. <r - • 



LOCH kiTTANE* 157 

built a picturesque cottage^ and have taken up 
his abode. On this subject he grew quite 
poetical^ as the following verses will testify. 

Loch Kittane! Looh Kittane! amid dark mountains 
pillow'd, 
Where Mangerton meets with the hill of CToh^ne, 
Whether sleeping in peace, or by mountain breeze hiU 
low'd, 
Still dear to my heart is the lone Loch Kittane. 

For oft by its shores have I wandered alone. 

Or reclined 'mid the heather, bright springing around, 

Where the hum of the wild-bee came joined with the tone 
Of streamlet and wave, in one musical sound. 

Then magical fancy has framed me a bower, 
Far down in the hollow of rocky Kippoch, 

A home of the heart! where no storm-cloud should lower, 
Save that which pass'd over the breast of the Loch — 

But the calmer to leave, and more peacefully clear 
The ripples that circle its one little isle, 

As though the storm frown'd but the more to endear 
The peace and the sunshine which lights up its smile* 

More bright and more beauteous a spot there may be. 
Than the wild lake where Mangerton meets vrith 
Crohine ; 

But none that are brighter or dearer to me, 
Tiianthe rodk'^illow'd wave of tlie lone Loch Kittane. 



158 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 



CHAP. IX. 



PHILADOWN. 



" Glen — a valley, a vale, space between two 
hills,^' so says the dictionary. Now whether 
the aforesaid sage authority be right or wrong, 
I care not a jot : whether a valley, a vale, and 
a space between two hills are one and the 
same; whether a glen id a valley, a valley a 
vale, or a space between two hills both valley, 
vale, and glen ; or whether a space between 
two mountains may signify the same as a space 
between two hills, are points which I leave to 
the decision of quibbling and word-ferreting 
critics. 

But one thing is certain, and that h, that at 
present I have nothing to do with any word 
but glen. From this, however, arises the 
question as to what are the ideas attached to, 
or conveyed by, the aforesaid word ? Does not 
the reader feel a thousand, nay, ten thousand 
romantic associations floating through his brain 
at the very sound of the word glen i Are there 
not immediately torrents foaming; mountains 



I 



FHILADOWN. 159 

ascending, green knolls smiling, and dark 
woods waving? to say nothing of verdant 
hollows, terrific chasms, deep recesses, frown- 
ing cliffs^ murmuring rivulets, sheltered farms, 
and flower-covered cottages. Are not all these 
pretty words mingling in glorious confusion^ 
floating and flitting before your mind's eye at 
the mention of a glen? besides sundry ideas 
of peace, sunshine, rusticity, love, and poverty, 
with other things, or ideas of things, too tedious 
at present for particular mention. If this is 
not the case with you, '^ gentle reader," as 
Mr. Lynch would say, I envy not your poetical 
powers. But as I have nothing whatever to 
do with poetry at present, I may as well pro- 
ceed at once to the glen of the river Flesk, 
commonly called Glanflesk, in which is situated 
the cliff of Philadown, containing the famous 
Labig Owen, or Owen's Bed. 

Commencing, therefore, as I ought to have 
done before, with the conclusion of the last 
chapter; I must acquaint those, who are 
desirous of further information, that before 
Mr. Lynch had finished his rhymes, we had 
left their subject Loch Kittane behind us, and 



160 LEGENPS OF THB LAKES. 

were proeeediog at a good pace towards Phi- 
ladowo. 

After pursuiog for some time a hilly road 
along the base of the mountains, commanding 
to the left a view of a coarse broken country, 
such as might be expected in a land of hills^ 
we came in sight of the ruins of Killaha castle, 
built by one. of the O'Donoghue^s, the ancient 
chiefs of Glanflesk. Passing this castle, of 
which I shall have occanon to speak hereafter, 
we descended to the lower or main road lead- 
ing from Killamey to Glanflesk. Until the 
new line by the Upper Lake was made, this 
was the only road by whidi a carriage could 
proceed from Killamey to Kenmare, a distance 
of about twenty-four miles. The new line 
now supersedes the old road so far as Kenmare 
is concerned, but nevertheless, the latter pro* 
mises to be much travelled, as a cross road is 
makii^ from Glanflesk to Macroom, which 
will shorten- the distance from Killamey to 
Cork about seven miles. Be this as. it may, 
turning to the right we began to enter the glep, 
and had not advanced far, before we met a 
smart, olive-complexioned litde man, dressed 



PHILADOWN. I6l 

in a black coat, blue trowsers, and an oilakio 
covered hat, vulgarly termed " a glazier," 

^^ How do you, doctor ?*' said Mr. Lynch. 

^ Quite well, I thank you, and how is every 
inch of yourself? is it to Philadown you*re 
going ?" 

*^ The very place, doctor ; you'd guess eggs 
if you saw but the shells. Will you accompany 
us to Labig Owen i" 

« I have no objection/* 

*^ That's well said, my little doctor, for as 
you are potent in the glens, your friendly aid 
and countenance may be of service to us.*' 

The doctor proved a very entertaining com* 
panion, possessing the free and easy manners 
of an nntravelled Irish gentleman, and making 
but little professional display, except when 
now and then as we advanced up the glen, he 
would discover his knowledge of simples, by 
advertbg to the plants which we met on our 
way, especially if any of the natives happened 
to be present. Doubtless the doctor had often 
relieved the inhabitants of the glen from the 
effects of shilelagh and whiskey, and they, in 
return, evidently regarded him as a second 

VOL. ir. M 



162 LEGENDS OF THE l«AKES. 

Galen. Certain it is, that ve were indebted 
for a great deal of attention to the respect our 
companion was held in by the country people. 

We had not proceeded far, before our notice 
was attracted by a pair of. shelties, saddled 
and bridled; standing before the door of a 
wretched hovel, from the eave of which \i*ere 
suspended the. neck of a broken bottle, and a 
sod of turf; the one intended to inforoa the 
traveller that here he might regale bimaelf with 
a draught of Irish nectar, and the other that 
he might also be accommodated with that fra- 
grant plant commonly called tobacco. 

*' What say you, doctor, to some mountain 
dew ?" inquired Mr. Lynch. 

/' Faith, I'm not particular/' replied the 
doctor. ^^ But I think a drop may not be 
amiss to your friend. May I prescribe for you^ 
sir ?" said he, bringing a very good-humoured 
smile to bear full upon me. 

I stammered out something,* I really forget 
what, or whether it was meant for ves or no; 
but while we were debating the matter, a tall 
middle-aged man, with a sun-burnt visage, 
stepped forth from the but and stood erect 



PHIL A BO WN^ 163 

before os. He had evidently been sacrificiog 
to the rosy god, and like the generality of his 
countrymen^ in proportion as his head became 
confused by whiskey, his heart ^dilated with 
love and friendship. 

No sooner did he spy the doctor, who had 
been making sundry movements to avoid the re- 
cognition, than with three gigantic strides, such 
as would not have disgraced O'Donoghue him- 
self, he at once enclosed him in a firm embrace. 

*^ Arrah then, docture^ is it yourself? 'tis 
myself then that is right glad to see you up the 
glen. May be you'd be going to Philadown 
now — but you'll be after stepping into the 
Cabra and taking a drop first, and then 'tis I'll 
^o with you myself, and get you a ladder, and 
show it ail to the jcmtlemen sure." 

In vain did we protest against accompanying 
Jiim into the but. '^ Sure I'm an O'Donog- 
hue," was the reply, '^ and my foot is in the 
:gleB." There was no resisting this speech ; at 
least we thought so, and submitted quietly. 

If the outside of this hovel wore a miserable 
•appearance, the interior was much worse, af- 
fording between its low, damp, mud walls just 



164 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

room enou^ for three or four wassailers, and 
the withered, smoke-dried beldam, who super* 
intended their orgies, and dealt out the in« 
spiring potion. The hestrth displayed just fire 
sufficient to light a pipe, and fill the hut with 
smoke, which after gracefully curling about the 
heads of those within, made exit through the 
door and a hole in the roof, for chimney was 
there none. 

'^ In Ireland so frisky, with sweet love and whiskey. 
We manage to keep care and sorrow aloof; 

At our whirligig revels, make all the blue devils 
Creep out with the smoke through a hole in the Eoof." 

The love and friendship of Mister Daniel 
O'Donoghue, which would have overwhelmed 
us with whiskey, being in some degree ap<- 
peased, we departed, but not before the said 
O'Donoghue bad insisted on our mounting the 
shelties we had seen at the door. 

It was fortunate for us that we did not 
linger, for scarcely were we out of sight of the 
hut, when such discordant shouts and yells rent 
the air, that to speak classically:— the furies 
appeared to have broken loose. 



PHILADOWK. 165 

" What can this mean ?'* said I to Mr. 
Lynch^ ^^ these shouts — hark ! they approach 
us — something desperate is going forward.'* 

We pulled up — unable to assign any satis- 
factory cause for the fearful sounds which 
assailed our ears, and seemed to proceed from 
the peaceful spot which we had left but a few 
moments before. 

" The robbing thieves of the world," mut- 
tered O'Donoghue. " Well, we are out of the 
matter quietly — thank goodness/' said the 
doctor. 

"The spillers of decent men's drink — the 
ruinaters of the country ; never welcome them 
among us," continued O'Donoghue; " but 'tis 
the boys of the glen that have a heart and a 
hand, and that knows how to sarve such like 
fellows out any daj' of the year. Hurrod, 
here they come, or they'll catch it" 

** Silence !" exclaimed the doctor, as two 
unfortunate excisemen, with old cavalry sabres 
clattering at their sides, appeared in full view, 
riding for their lives from a shower of stones, 
the carcases of dead animals, and even pitch- 
forks^ which were hurled after them by an 
infuriated crowd of peasants. 



■*%* "% ■ 



On perceiving us, insteai^ of coming towards 
where we stood, being perhaps uncertain whe- 
ther we were fiiends or foes, the poor hunted 
excisemen turned off the road and were 6omi 
out of sight as well as their pursuers, who, per- 
ceiving they could not overtake them, cut 
across by a mountain path with the view of 
intercepting their retreat from the gten. 

" What business have the likes of them in 
the glen at all i" said O'Donc^hue. " Sure 
then 'tis quare laws that won't let the poor 
lone widow sell her drop of poiteea ia pact 



phu^adown;. 167 

and quietness. BhI His the boys of the glen 
that have both hearts and hands, and will be 
after making all scheming blackguards like 
them fellows, think twice before they come 
among them agi«." 

^^ 1 agree with my worthy friend the doctor/' 
said Mr Lynch, " in thinking that we are well 
out of this affair — ^and now suppose we move 
forward." 

Glanflesk is a long vaHey, through which 
deep and sullen flows the Flesk ; its banks are 
divided into fields of oats and potatoes, with 
meadow and grazing ground, having here and 
there a cabin, and sometimes a nest of cabins 
at the foot of the hills. The hills themselves^ 
which rise from, and hem in the valley at either 
side, are bare, rocky, and rugged, without 
altitude sufficient to give them sublimity, or 
brokenness of outline sufficient to render them 
picturesque, and having neither tree nor shrub 
to grace their sides. The road winds along 
the base of these hills, sometimes nearing the 
bank of the river, and sometimes receding 
from it, thereby leaving space for the fields 
already mentioned. At the opposite side of 
the river, the space between it and the hills is 



iiH f ' ^< 



168 LEGENDS 0¥ THE XAKES. 

somewbat wider^ and is called *^ the Inc^," as 
all level ground near a river is termed in Ire- 
land. The Inch of Gianflesk is divided into 
upper and lower. The hills at the. opposite 
side of the river from the road, exhibit in some 
places comfortable farms^ and verdant spots, 
snatched as it were from the wilderness around. 
Yet, notwithstanding this untempting descrip* 
tion, the glen is not entirely without charms 
for the tourist. He will sometimes meet with 
grotesque masses of rock, and sometimes - be 
astonished at the shivered fragments, which 
strew the sides of the hills. As he travels 
along, he will be amused bj.gazing upwards 
at the fearless goat browsing far above him, 
while perhaps, higher still, the hawk, the eagle, 
or the heron may be seen soaring far away, 
till the speck is lost in the clouds: and now, 
perhaps, his attention will be directed down- 
wards, to some green retreat, some spot of 
beauty, the more beauteous from the waste by 
which it is surrounded. Sometimes the clouds 
and vapours may be seen floating around the 
hill tops in a thousand fantastic forms, and 
when these are gone, and the hill tops are 
clear, little white clouds of curling smoke may 



PHIL A DOWN. 160 

be perceived ansing frotn ibe furze and heather^ 
which the laborious peasant is burning in order 
to increase the coarse herbage of hb farm. If 
the weather has been wet^ both eye and ear 
will be delighted, the one with the foam, and 
the other with the dash, of a thousand torrents; 
There are few things which so completely 
baflie the pen and the pencil as these mountain 
waterfalls. The rapid and incessant motion 
of the water, which flows not in a continued 
stream, running always the same from rock to 
rock, but comes down in flushes, flourishing 
in successive circles, covering a point of rock 
at one moment with a sheet of water, and 
leaving it bare the next It is impossible ade* 
quately to paint or describe all the endless 
variations, and I doubt whether any descrip-r 
tion, although such may perhaps recall ideas 
to those accustomed to observe mountain falls, 
would give much information to a person who 
had never seen one. In the boasted cataracts 
of America this shifting motion can have little 
or no effect upon the general scene, which is 
on too magnificent a scale for the observance 
of such minutiae, but in the falls of this country 
it is a circumstance which adds much to the 



170 LEGENJ>S OB THS lAKES. 

beaiity, or at least to the amusement of tli« 



A.sudden tarn in the road disclosed to view 
the wooded hill, or cliff of Philadown, which 
came as refreshing upon our view, as the 
twinkle of a lighthouse to the weary mariner. 

Here we were soon surrounded by a crowd 
of the Glensters, or Glanfleskians, while Daniel 
O'Donoghue hastened to hold the stirrups, and 
help us to dismount. He then vaulted into the 
saddle of one of the nags himself, and galloped 
off in search of a ladder ; as there is no reach- 
ing that part of the cliff called Labig Owen; 
or the bed of Owen the outlaw, without such 
assistance. 

After the bare tract we had traversed, the 
cliff of Philadown, from the circumstance of 
its being wooded, appeared peculiarly pleas- 
itig; and the wood itself was not the less 
itgree^ble, for having assumed the rich and 
varied hues of autumn, which we beheld 
glancing beneath the glorious light of a golden 
eve. On the return of O'Donoghue with the 
ladder, well pleased did we explore the re- 
cesses of Philadown, and right gaily did we 
Spring from rock to rock, now catching at the 



PHJLADOWN. 17 1 

tbng purple heath, and now susUining ourselves 
by tl)« trunks and branches of the trees^ till: 
further progress was stayed by a formidable 
Pock. 

Having placed the ladder against this bar- 
rier^ we^mounted, and found ourselves on an 
irregular platform, to which- there was no other 
means of access, as on every other side th^ 
cliff was perpendicular, deep, and masked by 
wood ; so that it is obvioujs, a single desperate 
man, possessed of this hold, might, if well pro* 
visioned, keep it against hundreds. 

To render this station still more impregnable, 
tt was overhung by the cliff above, which at 
once afforded security and shelter. On the face 
of the rock, we observed inscribed the names 
of several vuiters, and while I looked around^ 
Mr; Lynch added his to the number. Per* 
teiving that he was observed, he turned to me, 
spying something, of which the first words I 
caught, were — " The old adage, you know, 
runs thus : 

*. He who writes his name upon a tree, 
Is a fool and eVr will be: 
He who writes his name upon a wall, 
Is a fool and ever shall.* 

But there's not a word said about a rockT 



17^ LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

A long horizontal fissure was pobted out 
to me as the chimney appertaining to the 
fireplace of the famous Owen; and I was 
also shown a hollow, which was his reservoir 
for water, as it received all that dripped from 
the cliffs above. 

^' And who/^ said I, ^' was this famous 
Owen r 

The doctor, to whom this question was 
addressed, immediately prepared himself for 
reply, by assuming the attitude of a speaker, 
and the glensters crowded around, prepared to 
wonder and applaud. 

^^ Owen,*' said he, ^' Owen was a famous 
outlaw of the. olden time, who for a long period 
kept possession of this strong hold, out of which, 
as you may perceive, it would not be an easy 
matter to drive a resolute and desperate man ; 
but in those days the difficulty was much 
greater; for, besides that the glen was thickly 
wooded, there was at. that time no such thing 
as a road through it. Owen was also an 
O'Donoghue, as, indeed, were all the inhabi- 
tants of these glens ; and though a few other 
names may now be found among them, yet 
even these are connected by marriage with the 
O'Donoghne ; thus connected, and in posses- 



PHILADOWN. 173 

sion of this natural fortress, it is no wonder 
that Mr. Owen considered himself not only 
secure^ but at perfect liberty to pursue his 
system of depredation, and indulge his cattle* 
lifting propensities. 

'^ Moreover, was he not the strongest man 
of bis day ? for even to the present hour, 
popular tradition represents him as having 
been able to take a cow by the horns and dash 
her down the cliff; indeed, this is said to have 
been his usual savage mode of killing cattle. 

^* But Owen's chief strength and exultation 
lay in the favour of the O'Donoghue himself, 
or, as he was called, O'Donoghue Geoffry, 
who at that time resided in Killaha Castle. 

'^ The Sasenagh had been the spoiler of the 
O'Donoghue ; many broad lands had he lost ; 
and in return, it was but natural, while dining 
on some of Owen's stolen beef, that he should 
feel a peculiar relish, and a keener appetite, 
when he reflected that he was partaking in the 
spoil of the spoiler. 

'^ Notwithstanding all these causes for se- 
curity, it happened that the. support which 
Owen the outlaw deemed the strongest, namely, 
.the protection of his chieftain, was really the 



1 74 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

weakest of all: for the great O'Donogfane 
himself, in his faaWed towards ihe Sofenaghs, 
was not very mindful of their laws ; and, once 
upon a time, a few of his depredatory freaks, 
on rather a large scale, brought down upon the 
chief of the glens the vengeance of the powers 
that were ; so that aU the authorities, civ3 and 
military, were united against him. 

*^ Now this great chieftain, taking into con^ 
sideraUon that self-preservation is the first law 
of nature, determined to redeem himself, by 
giving up his clansman, the redoubtable Owen, 
on whom he laid all the blame of his own 
transgressions. — By an act of -treachery, Owen 
was decoyed from his bed on the roc4, and 
giiards were posted to prevent his return. 
Disguised as a crippled beggar-man, be wan^ 
dered for months through the -country, and at 
last was surprised by a party of English soldiers 
at the cottage of a poor woman in the glen> • 

*' < Nance— Nance,' exclaimed tlie outlaw, 
frowning defiance upon his {Nirsuers beneath, 
' cut my hamstrings ;' thereby meaning the 
straps which attached the wooden stumps to 
his legs. These, his memorable words, have 
since passed into a Gkinfleskian proverb. But 



l>MH.ABOWN. 175 

|be woman was tpo much alarmed at tbe near 
approach of the soldiers to free Owen from 
his assumed disguise ; he easily became <he 
captive of the English, and without much 
ceremony took his lord's place on the . gallows 

** Thus ended tlie life and adventures of 
-Owen the outlaw; and Labig Owen has since 
femained without a tenant, except when for a 
short time it was occupied by the murderers of 
a Mr. Hutchinson ; but their sculls are now 
bleaching on the Bridewell in Macroem^ and 
Labig Owen is now only visited by the 
fashionable tourist, the note-»hunting author, 
or the artist on his summer ramble." 

When the doctor had concluded his story, 
there was a general murmur of approbation 
among the gleasters, who, though they scarcely 
understood a sentence of what he had said, 
were lavish of their praises, expressed in such 
exclamations as ^^ Arrah, then, hasn't the doc- 
tare fine Ingeiish wid him ?"— " Mo grine 
chree*^ docture^ Uis you can «tell a story any 
how." 

^^ Here, Lynch," said I, ** here is an illus- 

♦ The sunshine ^f my heart. 



176 LEGENDS OB THE LAKBS. 

tfation of that most picturesque incident in the 
history of Owen the otitlaw — 'Nance — Nance, 
cut my hamstringi.' " 



" It will make no bad figure in the Guide 
Book," said Mr. LjhcIi, as be returned me the 
sketch. 

From Labig Owen there la a pleasing view 
of the windings of theFlesk, the opposite 
mountains, the farm of Upper Inch, and even 
Philadown itself, in consequence of the bend 
which it makes, adds part of its. wood to the 
prospect. A short way above Philadowu the 
glen divides iuto two branches, one running 



PHILADOWN. 177 

towards Kenmare, and the other by Bally- 
youmey towards Macroom^ foriDing a figure 
something like A turned thus. 

Through that branch of the glen which leads 
to Ken mare, descends the river Looha; and 
through the branch leading to Macroom mur- 
murs the Oydagh — both meet not far from 
PhiladowD ; and from the ** meeting of the 
waters" the united streams take the name of 
Flesk. 

Descending from Labig Owen, we crossed 
the road, and sat down on the margin of the 
river Fiesk, which, from its being shallow, here 
became garrulous: and here, drawing forth our 
store of provisions, we began to appease, as 
the little doctor called them, .those stomachic 
symptoms vulgarly denominated hunger. 

While thus employed, we occasionally gave 
small pieces of bread to the children, who were 
mingled with the glensters' men and women, 
by whom we were surrounded, as objects of 
wonder. This act at once engaged the hearts 
of the mothers ; we soon perceived a stir and 
whisper, and shortly after five or six of the 
women tucked up their petticoats, crossed the 
ford, and proceeded towards Inch House, an 

VX)L. H. N 



178 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

old ruinous slated building, surrounded by a nest 
of cabins. The house was the first residence 
of the chiefs of Glanflesk^ and is said to be 
much older than Killaha Castle, though in far 
better repair, being still inhabited. 

In a short time we perceived the women 
returning with piggins (small wooden vessels) 
full of milk, as a slight offering for our kindness 
to their children. 

The sua had gone down before we had 
finished our repast; and, pedestrians as we 
were, to think of returning to Killarney, a 
distance of eight Irish, miles, after the fatigues 
of the day, was out of the question ; but what 
was to be done? where was a lodging to be 
procured? Th.e question, however, was soon 
settled by our friend, Daniel' O'Donoghue, 
who volunteered the use of his cabin and all 
it contained for our service ; and, as a further 
inducement, offered to slay a fat iamb to give 
us welcome. 

Without many words the invitation was ac- 
cepted; and, having mounted: the shelties^ we 
crossed the ford and proceeded towards Inch 
House, near which stood the cabin of our 
.worthy host, Daniel O'Donoghue. 



179 



CHAP. X. 

A NIGHT IN THE GLENS. 

It must be acknoi/vledged that there was some 
little difference between Gorhani's Hotel and 
Daniel O'Donoghue's cabin; which latter was 
a long low structure, having the usual accom- 
paniment of a yard full of all sorts of dirt and 
litter. The very approach to the door presented 
an obstacle to entrance, which a London ex. 
quisite might have considered insurmountable; 
for this approach consisted of a narrow, slippery, 
badly paved causeway, leading between two 
filthy stagnant pools, which, as they were dis- 
turbed by a brood of hard-drinking ducks, sent 
forth no very grateful effluvia. The causeway 
being passed, we entered and began it survey 
the interior. And now for the general effect — 
an outer room, with a partition wall dividing 
it from a smaller inner room, in the centre of 
which partition was a doorway, but without a 
door, and even that to the outer room, which 
gave entrance to the house, could only be 
regarded as an apology for a door, having 



180 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

80 many cliinks and crevices that every vagrant 
breeze whistled through at will. But a door 
was of little consequence^ as the entrance to 
the cabin stood also in the capacity of window, 
being constantly left open during the day, in 
order to admit light to the outer room, and at 
the same time to allow free passage for the 
smoke; acting in the capacity of deputy to the 
huge vent, which to very little purpose occupied 
the full breadth of the gable, and overhung not 
only the fire, but also a sort of bedstead placed 
on one side of the hearth. As a balance oo 
the other, a seat of rude mason work was 
constructed* 

The rest of this apartment was occupied by 
a large deal table, a few straw-bottomed chairs, 
a tub and two keelers placed near the door, con- 
taining potato skins and sour milk, into ivhicfa 
two gaunt greyhounds and a parcel of vociferous 
young pigs (bonnoves) were dipping their muz- 
zles with all the voracity imaginable, squeaking 
and growling the whok time. Against the 
partition wall already mentioned, at eidier side 
of the doorway, was placed the coop and the 
dresser; the one full of cackling hens, and the 
other containing a grand display of earthen 



A KI6HT IN THE OLENS. 181 

ware^ basons, jugs, and plates, wooden nugs, 
trenchers, aiid a saltcellar, two wine glasses, one 
able and one unable to stand without being 
propped up, and, grandeur of grandeurs, a tea- 
pot, with two cups and three saucers. In the 
upper shelf were sundry holes, through which 
were stuck half a dozen iron spoons ; from a 
nail on one side of the dresser was suspended 
a small looking-glass, with a red painted border; 
and underneath stood, in a row, an iron pot, a 
brass skillet (manufactured from a gun of the 
invincible armada), a pot-oven, and a griddle. 
The apartment was surmounted by a black 
smoky roof, from the couples of which dangled 
long fibres of soot and cobweb over the earthen 
floor beneath. So much for the outer room ; 
now for the inner. One side was occupied by 
two bedsteads, between which and the wall 
was hung a piece of matting ; at the opposite 
side was a window about a foot square ; over 
bead was raised a loft made of hurdles, and 
having a ladder for ascending and descending 
— a bundle of straw lay in one corner for the 
hounds; two chairs and a chest in the middle 
of the room, which answered the purpose of a 
table, completed the furniture of the dormitory. 



182 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

We were congratulating ourselves on the 
prospect of a good night's rest, for the beds, 
notwithstanding my description, appeared ex- 
cellent, and had snow-white sheets; but further 
inspection was checked by the bleating of a 
lamb—'* Ba, ba." 

" Our host," exclaimed Mr. Lynch, *' is 
doubtless going to kill the promised lamb for 
supper; but I dare say you have as little in- 
clination as myself for such summary cookery. 
Let us procure for the poor animal a re- 
prieve." 

It was not without considerable persuasion,' 
and even then much against his will, that 
Daniel 0*Donoghue was prevailed upon to 
lay aside at least for the present, his murderous 
design^ This matter was scarcely arranged 
before our ears were saluted by — Tweedle dee, 
tweedle dum — eek hum^ hum eek — the sounds 
of a fiddle and bagpipe ; and directly piper 
and fiddler entered the outer room, followed, 
I verily believe, by all the Donoghues in the 
glen, men, women, and children ; while our 
careful host, to screen us from the vulgar gaze, 
hung a large sheet before the doorway of the 
inner room. 



'- •- ' '■^jr ^ ~»^-' t^ -» ■• 



A NIGHT IN THE GLENS. 183 

^^ You may as well give up all thoughts of 
rest till morning," said Mr. Lynch, " for I 
perceive we shall have nothing but fiddling and 
dancing and whiskey-drinking till daylight.*' 

" That being the oase, I see no objection," 
said I, " to our joining the revels — suppose we 
do so?" 

Mr. Lynch having expressed his concurrence, 
we stepped forth from the apartment which 
had been given up to us, and found the outer 
room thronged almost to suffocation ; even the 
very doorway was crowded with the merry 
faces of people all agog for fun. 

An Irishman may be said to love fighting 
well, whiskey better, and dancing best of all ; 
indeed his legs seem to move instinctively at 
the sound of the bagpipe ; and hence it hap- 
pened that the useless door was no sooner 
taken off of its hinges and placed in the middle 
of the floor, than Paddy Haly made his bow 
to Mary Donoghue, and flinging off his brogues, 
called for {i double jig, and began to caper 
away on the prostrate planks, making them 
rattle again with his thumping, as he went 
through the various movements of a tnoneen 



184 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

jig — at the same time snapping his fingers and 
uttering a jojous whoop. 



The assemblage did their part, and gave 
loud rent to their admiration at every new 
fling from Paddy Haly: indeed, to render such 
movements the more conspicuous, and that not 
a single step might be lost, three or four tall 
fellows volunteered to act as candlesticks, and 
with large pieces of blazing bog-dale in their 
hands, they stood directing the light upon the 
steps of the dancers. It was an effect worthy 
the pencil of a Rembrandt ! 

Paddy having concluded bis moneetty by a 



^^^■■W^w*w^^iv^«a*ia«a^^>WH«^v«l«i«H««w^OT^«~wiB«i^l 



A NIGHT IN THE GLENS. 185 

bow to the piper, sat down, leaving the lady 
to look for another partner, which she was not 
long in finding; Tor spying Tim Murnane in a 
corner, she unhesitatingly walked up to him, 
dropped her courtesy, and then resutned her 
place on the door. Upon the challenge, Tim, 
as in duty bound, stood up, scratched his head, 
looked askance at the lady, called for the fox- 
hunter's jig, and away they went. When this 
was concluded, the lady sat down, and left Tim 
to make his bow to whom be pleased ; and in 
this manner did one alternately give place to 
another, till all had their heart's content of 
dancing. 

Of the moneen it is almost impossible, by 
the pen or pencil, to convey an idea ; to be 
understood, it must be seen. I will however, 
to the best of my ability, recount the figures. 

Down the middle — up again — set to your 
partner — change sides — set again — change sides 
again— ^set again — dance up to your partner-— 
recede — ^dance up again — recede again — turn 
half round with one hand, back again with the 
other — set again — turn round with both hands, 
and bow to the piper. 

There are however a variety of figures; and 



186 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

as for steps, they are numberless, and, to use 
the vulgar adage, change *^ as fast as hops ;" 
but words are quite unequal to picture the 
activity and dexterity required in the perform- 
ance, the grotesque flinging about of the legs, 
the snapping of fingers, the whooping and' 
hallooing, the grinding and stamping, the 
thumping and bumping, and yet all in perfect 
' time, with the quickest and most complicated 
movements ; so that th^ spectator is divided 
between laughter and admiration at what is 
really at once an absurd and an extraordinary 
exhibition. 

During the dance our worthy host was deal- 
ing about whiskey with unsparing hand, or, in 
the language of the glens, *' galore ;^^ and as 
he did not forget to help himself, by the time 
he sat down, Daniel O'Donoghue was what is 
called ^' pretty well.'" Then it was that his 
heart began to swell with pride, as he gazed 
on the glensters around ; and often did he 
stretch forward to shake hands with us, as hq 
exclaimed, *' These are O'Donoghues — these 
are O'Donoghues— every day's luck to them," 
And any fling extraordinary in the dauce^ 
brought forth the exulting cry of " There's an 



A NIGHT IN THE GLENS. 187 

O'Donoghue for you. From the crown of the 
bead to the sole of the foot, every inch an 
O'Donoghue." 

Amid this continued revelry and dance^ a 
pretty rosy. cheeked girl, after wiping her mouth 
with the corner of her check apron, dropped 
a courtesy to Mr. Lynch, who of course was 
obliged to take bis place on the door ; and 
laughable enough were his attempts at a moneen. 
To do him justice, however, he got through it 
with a great deal of good temper ; and then 
in order to be revenged, I suppose, he put the 
door aside and proposed a country dance. Here 
a most glorious scene of confusion began; such 
mistakes, and consequent scoldings, for it seems 
a professional dancing master was present; and 
as the place was narrow, and the earthen floor 
indescribably uneven, such trippings, stum- 
blings, and kicking of shins were there as baffle 
all description. 

When the country dance was over, and before 
the door was replaced, not on its hinges, but 
on the floor for moneens ; I managed to pick 
up the following tale from the schoolmaster, 
who had been a great traveller in his youth, 
having visited Lisbon, Cork, and Skibbereen, 



188 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES; 

and who was esteemed, next to the doctor, the 
raost learned man in Glanflesk. 

*' Who is there so ignorant/^ said he^ after 
two or three hems to clear .his Yoice, ** as not 
to have heard of the town of Dingle, or, as it 
was called in the days of good Queen Bess, 
The Dingle — but the name which pleases me 
most of all, is that high-sounding one of Dingle- 
decouch — but by whatever name you may 
choose to distinguish it. Dingle, The Dingle, 
or Dingledecouch, be it known that it was 
ever and always a most famous place, for a 
variety of very cogent reasons. 

** And first, it is said that a man may be 
arrested there for twopence ; but, secondly, 
living is so very cheap ''^ that he ought not to 
owe twopence, for tliere you may get a good 
house for three or four pounds a year, and, 
being close to the vast Atlantic, you may get 
fish for a song, if you happen to have a good 



* Of this assertion I had no bad illustration in the 
spring of 1825, when I dined in Dingle, after visiting 
Smerwick Harbour. My dinner consisted of a very fine 
small turbot with lobster sauce, a pair of fowls, and some 
bacon, with vegetables — greens and potatoes, for which 
dinner, neatly and well served, I was charged ntne*pence I 



-»->-<»<i-'*::i.. ^ ^ *r '"J- »- •-or.,-'* - .^ r .««.• 



A NIGHT IN THE GLEN8« 189 

voice-^potatoes dog cheap, and linen for next 
to nothing; but as fur meat, sorry am I to say, 
it is so scarce an article, that whenever a sheep 
is killed the bellman is sent about to inform 
the neighbours of such an important affair; 
end the death of a cow becomes quite an era, 
from which they date all subsequent events. 

** Well then, near this famous, cheap, fish- 
loving town of Dingledecouch, lived Robert 
Fitzgerald; I can^t say exactly what relation 
he stood in to the Knight of Kerry, or if any 
beyond being a Geratdine. Robert Fitzgerald 
was by a trade a mason ; and not only that, but 
he was said also to have been a freemason, and 
was consequently suspected of being an adept 
in the black art. 

** His appearance was by no means prepos- 
sessing, as he was a low, squat, dark-visaged 
man, with a roost unconscionable squint, and 
long black hair, which in matted locks curled 
around his brow in huge and forbidding 
clusters. 

^^ This aspect, together with his reputation 
ds a wizard, rendered him an object of fear 
and suspicion to the country people, who 
generally laid to his charge any misfortunes 



190 LEGCJI0S OF TBK lAKES. 

which heSdi then or their cattle; and in his 
own line of hnmrm no one cared to interfeve 
with him, bj which means he was left in the 
quiet and undisputed poneaaion of the building 
trade in IHngle. 

'< ' I wonU put np with it any longer/ said 
Mr. HicksoUy one morning in a terriUe passion; 
and no wonder, for Kt^erald, who was doing 
some mason work for hint, had kept the job 
on his hands for upwards of six mcHiths; and 
though, considering he was to be paid by the 
day, no brother builder will be inclined to 
blame him much, yet as Mr. Uickson's pocket 
was to bear the brunt, it is no wonder he should 
be rather angry, although,, proverbially, the best 
tempered gentleman in the whole county. ' I 
won't put up with it any longer,' said he ; ' I 
suppose you think I can't get any one to come 
between you and the work, but youVe quite 
mistaken, for there's the two Neils just come 
from the north, so I discbaige you this minute, 
you old sorcerer; and now let me see what 
good the devil your master can do you, Fitz- 
gerald. 

'^ 'Tis a bad thing to speak of the devil on 
any account^ and His very seldom that much 



A NIGHT IN THE GLENS. 191 

good comes of it: but Fitzgerald made no 
answer, he only gave a most ominous squint^ 
and mwiXere,A badetshiny 2iS he walked away 
with his trowel in his hand, and his hammer 
under his arm, wiping his dark forehead with 
the comer of his leather apron. 

^< No sooner had Fitzgerald departed, than 
Mr. Hickson proceeded to Mary Murphy's 
house, where the two Neils were lodging. 

" * How are you, Mary ?" 

" * Very well, I thank your honour; and 
proud I am to see your honour looking so 
bravely this blessed morning.' 

'** Thank you, Mary; but- where are the 
two masons that came to lodge with you, 
lately ?' 

« € Why your honour, it isn't two minutes 
since they went out; is it work your honour 
would have for them ? if it is, sure I can send 
them up to the big house the moment, they 
come in, and 'tis they are the quiet dacent by*s 
any how; but I thought Fitzgerald had your 
honour^s work, and. they say it isn't lucky to 
cross him.' 

^^ ^ Fitzgerald ! I have just turned the rascal 
away, and intend giving the work to the Neils ; 



'^^ 1 



192 I.EGEMDP OP THE LAKES. 

SO, Mary, sead diem to me, and as you value 
my favour, none of yo|ir stories about Fitz- 
gerald and the black art; besides, you are a 
sensible woman, and ought to see that the 
fellow is only scheming to keep the work to 
himself; so good bye, Mary, but remember — 
not a word/ 

^^ Now Mary, though she remembered very 
well, couldnH, for the life of her, resist the 
desire she had to tell the Neils all about Fitz* 
gerald ; for besides the inclination a woman 
feels for every thing forbidden, Mary was a 
real believer in the power of the black art, 

i 

and all the stories she had heard of Fitzgerald. 
When die two Neils came in, and Mrs. Mary 
Murphy saw what likely, proper young men 
they were^ she thought it would be a mortal 
sin to let any harm come to them for want of 
a little bit of advice ; then having told them 
about Mr. Hickson's work, she advised them 
to have nothing to do with it; telling them 
how Fitzgerald became a freemason in spite 
of his Reverence Father Sheehan, how he 
refused to confess the sacret, and how his 
reverence wouldn^t give him absolution, or the 
rites of the church ; how Fitzgerald had sold 



A NIGHT IN THE GLENS. 193 

his sowl to the devil, who gave him power to 
play the dunnus by the black art^ and how, in 
consequence, no one dared to cross him. But 
the young men being glad to get employment^ 
pnly laughed at Mary's hows, and without 
further parley set off for the big house, and 
engaged with Mr. Hickson. 

'^ Things went on well enough for some 
time, and many people said that all the stories 
about Fitzgerald, were only old women's 
pishogues; but those who knew better shook 
their beads, and said it was only the calm before 
the storm. 

" ^ Who are them going across the bay, 
Norah ?^ said Fitzgerald, one fine morning as 
he stood at his cabin door, looking at a boat 
that had just left the shore. 

*' * Wisha then, 'tis only the Neils going 
across to the quarry for stones,' said Norah> 
who was an old woman that used during the 
day to brush up and take care of Fitzgerald's 
cabin^ for be w:as a lone man. 

"/The Neils is it? run, Norab, and bring 
me a cool of the salt water.' 

Norah did as she w^s desired^ at the same 
time wondering what he should want with the 

VOL. II. o 



194 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

salt water; so, though she was desired to go 
home, she thought it no harm to hide herself 
in a corner of the loft. 

*^ The morning was as fine as ever shone, the 
sea calm as glass, and not as much wind stir- 
ring as would serve to fill a whistle, when the 
unfortunate Neils left the shore; and yet 
they had scarcely reached the middle of the 
bay, when a terrible whirlwind arose, which 
upset their boat, and the young men were 
swallowed up by the remorseless deep. 

" Old Norah swore, that at that very time, 
she saw Fitzgerald, from her concealment in 
the loft, take a wooden bowl, and put it floating 
on the cool of salt water, then muttering over 
it, the bowl began to spin about, and the storm 
to rise, till at last when the bowl was upset, 
he stopped his muttering, and said all was 
right, for the Neils were done for. Be this as 
it may, it is certain that for ever after, no one 
ventured to molest the wizard of Dingle.*' 

Such was the story which I managed to 
glean from the schoolmaster, related in my 
own words^ rather than in his; and he had 
scarcely concluded it, when the Glensters 
began to depart, first, however, wishing us a 



A NIGHT IN THE GLENS. 195 

thousand slantha gots in some of our friend 
Daniel's whiskey. 

It was broad day ; but, before retiring, the 
doctor suggested to our hostess the preparation 
of some hot water, to make a tumbler of 
punch. The worthy dame, not having a kettle^ 
soon made her appearance with a great iron 
pot of steaming water, enough for that matter 
to make punch for half the parish ; we managed 
tp bail the water up with a wooden bowl^ 
made our punch in a respectably sized jug, 
drank it out of teacups, and in ten minutes 
after it was finished, Mr. Lynch and myself 
were in bed, and snoring away, according to 
the doctor's account, ^^ like two Irish nightin- 
gales.^ 



196 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 



CHAP. XI. 



THE RETURN. 



Cock a doodle do! grunt! grunt! cackle! 
cackle ! and worse than all, bow wow wow ! 
that settles the matter, no more sleep is to be 
had — the cocks crowing, pigs grunting, and 
hens cackling, were bad enough ; but the bow 
wow of that abominable crop-eared cur, puts 
the matter beyond dispute, and awakens me to 
a perfect consciousness of existence, and that 
I am in Daniel O'Donoghue's cabin, with the 
sad reflection, that this is the last day I have 
to spend in the neighbourhood of Killamey; 
for to-morrow 1 have secretly made up my 
mind to depart. 

The last day — 'tis an awful word ; but there 
must be a last day to every thing ; and there- 
fore why should I grumble at a phantom of my 
own creation, like Mrs. Shelley's Frankenstein? 
grumble, did I say ? — I don't intend doing any 
such thing ; but, as this is my last day at Kit- 
larney, I intend to make the most of it. 

" Halloo^ Lynch ! awake — arise — how the 



THE RETURN. 197 

dog snores ! Halloo — halloo — halloo — what, 
are you not awake ? it is high time we were 

abroad, and doing Oh, doctor, how are 

you ? glad to see you this morning — which 
way does the wind blow f" 

<^ It has just changed to the right point/' 
said the doctor : '^ though it has been very 
wet and stormy all the morning, and now a 
thousand torrents are dashing down the hills ; 
but the blue sky is beginning to be seen, while 
mist and cloud are curling up the sides of 
the mountains, and clearing away from their 
brows." 

'' An admirable description indeed ! I must 
have it for my Guide Book.'' 

'^ Guide Book !" exclaimed the doctor, and 
I resumed — " If you can prevail upon Mrs. 
O'Donoghue to have eggs, and butter, and 
potatoes^ and milk, prepared for breakfast on 
our return, I should like, above all things, to 
sally forth, and enjoy the fresh air. In truth, 
doctor, though I am not apt to complain, my 
head feels rather queer this morning from the 
whiskey punch, the effects of which, I am not 
quite sure I have exactly had time sufficient 



1. ^ 



198 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

to sleep off. What say you, Lynch, to going 
forth into ' the light of things,' as your friend 
Wordsworth does after a debauch ?*' 

" Agreed," said the doctor; " Wordsworth's 
a sensible man enough for a poet." 

'* No bad plan that," said Mr. L^nch, '* but 
does Wordsworth really do so ?" 

^^ He certainly says so — sayings and doings 
at Killamey — eh. Lynch— an excellent title for 
the Guide Book, only 'tis a plagiarism ; but 
what matters a plagiarism on the most original 
mind of the present day ?'' 

Having forded the Flesk, we turned the 
southern corner of Philadown, and took that 
branch of the glen which leads towards Ken- 
mare. Here the scenery was extremely wild, 
rocks piled upon rocks in rude confusion, and 
numberless torrents foaming, and little shining 
streams rushing down through the . hollows 
and channels of the hills. A walk of about 
two miles brought us to the wooded side of 
Croghane ; the opposite side of the glen, which 
was also wooded, we were informed, was called 
Ruscru. 

The road now rising, now falling, sweeps 



THE RETURN. 199 

along the base of Croghane, overshadowed by 
woods ; through which we had not proceeded 
fary before the sound of a torrent burst upon 
us^ and we soon perceived a raging flood, 
which foamed down the side of the hill, and 
through the wood, leaping from rock to rock, 
and in many places environing both clumps 
and single trees, which seemed to grow out of 
the water, as their green branches swept its 
boiling surface. 

After a feeble attempt to trace this torrent to 
its source, we found that neither our time, or 
our appetites (so much for whiskey punch be 
it remarked) would permit us to remain longer; 
and without proceeding farther through the 
glen, we turned our faces towards Daniel 
O'Donoghue's hospitable dwelling. 

Perhaps it will be as well, to prevent disap- 
pointment, that I should inform the visiter of 
Glanflesk, that to see the torrent, as we did, 
in all its glory, splashing — dashing — bubbling 
—and foaming, he must go there immediately 
after a very heavy fall of rain. Nay, it will 
even be worth his while, unless of a rheumatic 
disposition, to endure a good wetting, which. 



-- .■&!- 



200 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

by the by, he will run every chance of re* 
ceivingy to obtain a peep at the torrent, though 
we were fortunate enough to escape with dry 
jackets. 

An excellent breakfast may be made on 
potatoes, butter, eggs, and milk, by men who 
have walked among the mountains of Kerry. 
And we having done ample justice to what 
Mrs. O'Donoghue placed before us^ bade 
farewell to Daniel, who not only refused, but 
was highly offended at the offer of payment. 

As we journeyed towards Killaha castle, on 
our way to Killarney, Mr. Lyhch drew forth 
his pencil and note-book, and in a short time 
produced the following 

FAREWELL TO GLANFLESK. 

Farewell to the land of the mountaiD, 
To Glanflesk and its wild-hills farewell ; 

Where rushes the rock-springing fountain, 
Where murmurs the stream through the dell. 

Where the dark mountains frown in their pride, 

And rocks in disorder are thrown. 
Or lie shivered along the hill-side, 

Like the relics of worlds that are gone. 



THE RETURN. 201 

Where the wild herds that graze by the rill 

Look up to their friends of the sky; 
The eagle that mounts from the hill, 

The heron and hawk floating by. 

Where Croghane spreads a£ir its green wood, 
And Ruscru nods across to its brother, 

And Philadown^s cliff, rough and rude, 
Still adds to the prospect another. 

Where the Looha and Clydagh roll on. 
Each down its own glen proud to sally ; 

Till fondly uniting in one. 
As the Flesk they wind through the green valley. 

Where famed Labig Owen is shown. 

And Glensters relate the proud story, 
Of the outlaw who made him a throne 

And a bed on this rock rude and. hoary. 

O those were the days when afar 

The ' Eagle's shrill whistle ' was sounding ; 

And down at that note to the war. 

The sons of the rude hills came bounding. 

And still on the hill — in the glen. 

Though kind to each stranger that comes. 

There are hearts just as ready as then. 
To fight for their rights and their homes*. 



* Pro aris et fbcis. 



£02 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

But farewell to the land of tihe mountain. 
To Glanflesk and its wild-hills farewell ; 

Where rushes the rock-springing fountain, 
Where murmurs the stream through the dell. 

On clearing the glen, we found ourselves 
under the green hill, on which stands the 
ruins of Killaha castle. This hill we ascended. 
Three sides only of a square tower remain ; and 
as we looked up at its roofless and floorless 
height, we perceived the ancient stone chimney 
pieces, still clinging to the walls. 

At some distance from the castle, on the 
northern slope of the hill, are the ivy-covered 
remains of a church or chapel, around which 
are scattered a few tombs and grave stones. 

*' God be with you, Father Reily," ex- 
claimed the doctor, as he passed one of these 
memento mori's ; '^ for you were as good and 
as gay a little fellow as ever stepped.'^ 

Upon inquiry, I found that Father Reily, 
was one of those jolly, social, charitable, old, 
" butter-booted " priests, who were so different 
from the political, unsocial, Jesuitical, sly, 
young, canting, soberly-clad priests of the 
present day, for which reason, I copied the 
inscription on his tomb. 



THE RETUKN. 203 

'^ THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED 

BY 

THE PARISHIONERS OF BARRAOUV AND KILLAHA9 

AT 

THEIR SOLE EXPENSE 

AS A TOKEN 

OF THE 

LOVE, REGARD, AND ESTEEM, THET HAD 

FOR THEIR WORTHY AND CHARITABLE 

PARISH PRIEST, 

THE REV. JOHN o'REILY, 

WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 10 NOV. 1834, AGED W YEARS, 
REQUIESCAT IN PACE. AMEN/' 

As a curiosity, I was tempted also to tran- 
scribe the following inscription : — I now wish 
that I had copied the grotesque sculptures 
with which the stone is decorated, for (and yet 
how can I use the word when , applied to a 
monumental record?) the amusement of my 
readers. 

t 

* I.H.S. * 

" THIS TOMB IS ERECTED BY 

DAVID H-T. COLLINS IN MEMORY 

OF HIS WIFE BRIDGET, WHO 

DIED MAY 18, 1823. 

REQUIESCAT IN PACE. AMEN/^ 



^4 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

(Here follow four lines in the Irish cha- 
racter, of which the translation by a native 
bard, may perhaps be sufficient to satisfy the 
reader's curiosity.) 

" Pray dorCt intrude or move a lonely tribe, 
Thafs here entombed excluded from your strife ; 
If you presume to $coop this vault not thine. 
May God beshrew thy rude supplanting guile J^ 

Leaving the ruin, and with a hearty shake 
of the hand bidding farewell to the little 
doctor, Mr. Lynch and I returned to the base 
of the hill, and proceeded towards Killamey. 
On our rigHt lay the wooded demesne of 
Brewsterfield descending to the Flesk, which 
river we shortly after crossed by a bridge, and 
leaving Brewsterfield behind, pushed on for 
the town as fast as we could, the road pos- 
sessing nothing particular to detain us. 

Rather less than two hours brought us to 
Killamey, where we arrived just in time to 
witness our Mangerton Mountain friend, who 
had passed us shouting so wildly, and singing 
so gaily, something about 

'' A bagnet and gun, 
To fire out of fun." 



THE BETUEK. 



picked up bya recruiting party of the XXXIX 
— my grandfather's old Tegiment — much to the 
envy and aBtonishment of & group of butter- 
dealing friends and companions. 



" I'm as tall as the aargeant," said he. 
" What will Katty say now i—kurroo — hoo." 

" Fuith then, you are that, and 'tis no lie for 
you, Jem, and taller loo, though his honour 
ihe sei^eant's a fine gentleman, surely." 

" 'Tis a soldur you'll be, Jem Carey," 

" Go along wid you, you cavboge*" said 
• A vulgar fellow. 



206 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

Jem, darting a side glance wordiy of remem- 
bnince ; '' and don't be spaking to me — sure 
I'm listed, and TU shitte yon dead if jon'U be 
talking — Atirroi— What will Katty say now r" 
<< Faith then, I'll be bail, I'll tell you that, for 
sore there's the song ready made and all abont 
it.'' And the speaker turned away from the 
recruit to one of the group, and began singing 
in the tone, and with an expression of the 
keenest irony, to the well known air of *' Mis- 
tress Casey." 

^ Sail Kearney met widi Katty Doyle, 

As she was selling her plaices, 
They both sat down upon a step 

To tell their dismal cases : 
Says Sail, ^ Rathore, do you know what. 

That my blackguard is listed? 
He's gone to fight the French they say, 

God knows, I often wish'd it.' '' 

Here two or three voices joined in chorus 
with the singer : 

** Then gilla ma fain will you give us a drop, 

'Cause why, I am in sorrow ; 
And if my cloak I was to pop*, 

111 give you a throw f to-morrow/' 

Row de dow, dow, dow — row de dow, daw, 
* To pop — ^to pledge. f A throw — a dram. 



THE.KETURN. 207 

dow-^—row, roWy r<m, from the recruiting party; 
almost drowned the closing notes of the chorus, 
though increased by the roar of at least a dozen 
voices. 

At the door of the hotel I met Mr. Gorham, 
** Sare," said he, " I hope you will forgive the 
very great liberty I have taken of putting two 
English gentlemen, who have come over about 
the mines, into your room; but really, sare, 
they are such parfection of gentlemen^ and I 
have no room in my whole house unoccupied, 
and you, sare, being so good-natured, and not 
coming back last night, and — " 

" And in short,'' said I, rather displeased, 
" you have given my room to two strangers, 
Who—" 

'^ By no manner of means, sare,^' said the 
Gorham, with one of his irresistible bows. 
'^ Not for the world, sare; but you see, as you 
did not return, I just made bold to allow them 
to sit at your table in preference to the one in 
^fae bar, until you did come back. Oh, sare, 
they clearly understand that they are to quit at 
the wind of a word ; but they have just sat 
down to an early dinner, that I was in hopes 
would have been clear and clane finished before 



«08 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

your return, ,.re; b„t r„ t,,^ ^ ^ 
fetcHed out in a minute.'' 

I / -^^K**' ^*''''*™-««PP<'« Mr. Lynch »J 
for a. our appetite, are concerned; and we 

find them cannibal, or «-ater-drinker» ; realJ, 
•e would be too cruel a proceeding ^7^^ 
Ir«hn,an to expel an Englishman fron. hi 
tob e ajid that too at the moment of dinner." 
Did you ever write for the stage ?" i„ 
quired Mr. Lynch, in a whisper; «Lt aeT 
tence sounds mighty like what theatrical folk 
term a clap-trap," 

"I make it a point never to answer imper- 
Unent questions founded upon impertinent 
remark, Mr. Lynch," said L . Qorha^ 
announce us if you pleas^e.pJain that t^e' 
room IS ours-and you may as well ascertain 
tlie names of the mining English gentlemen for 
our sausfection." 

Gorham did as directed-and after a fe«. 

words of mutual explanation, Mr. Lynch and 

".yself found ourselves at dinner in company 

with Mr. Jones and Mr. Jenkins, bolh as f J 

as outward appearance went, agreeable, and 



THE RETURN. 209 

civili2;ed persons. The former^ as was elicited 
from him in conversation, possessed consider- 
able knowledge of geology, mining, and mine* 
ralogy, his friend Mr. Jenkins, on these sub* 
jects, playing second fiddle; but when that 
of law or music was introduced, he was ^' flauto 
primo." 

" This morning,'' said Mr. Jones, as we sat 
sipping our wine after dinner, *' I devoted to 
the examination of the peninsula of Mucruss. 
The peninsula runs nearly east and west ; the 
western part of it is brown stone, the east 
entirely limestone, till this is lost under the 
gravelly hills ; the mine is on the south side of 
the peninsula, a little on the limestone side of 
the juncture. Beginning a little to the west of 
this point, I observed the brown stone laying 
in thin strata, with smooth surface dipping 
about forty degrees to the south. All the 
rocks in this neighbourhood, and I believe all 
on the south side of the peninsula, dip rapidly 
to the south, but I doubt if it ought to be con- 
sidered as the natural bed of the stone. In 
the Ross mine it dips very gently in the 
same direction. Advancing to the east, I met 
with a hard gray limestone, brown on the out^ 

VOL. II. P 



F 



210 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

side — further east, the brown stoue passing 
into schist upon the limestone, and containing 
lamuiae of schist, and schist confining ianiinae 
of the limestone alternately. The limestone 
is also in places honeycombed on the surface — 
both sorts of rock are marked with veins of 
calcareous spar, which often continue uninter- 
rupted through several different layers. But I 
fear I tire you, gentlemen." 

" The fact is/' said Mr. Jenkins, *^ my 
worthy friend, Mr. Jones, is, as you perceive, 
a scientific talker about rocks and stones, and 
has come to Killarney determined to shut his 
eyes upon the lakes, to see only the mines, 
and to speak only about cobalt and copper — 
Is it not so, Jones ?*' 

Here Mr. Jones smiled, but made no reply. 

'^ Gentlemen/' continued Mr. Jenkins, '^ I 
am by profession a lawyer, and not, as you will 
perceive, a briefless one, for here is a case 
(drawing forth from his pocket a paper) which 
I had submitted to me, and which really baffles 
my comprehension ; nor can 1 obtain any 
assistance in the matter from my friend on the 
opposite ^ide of the table. The terms, I doubt 
not, being perfectly incomprehensible, must be 



THE RETURN. 24 1 

Irish; and^ iodeedj with the view of gaining 
some light on the subject, I brbught the case 
with me for consideration during my hoiiday 
excursion. You have listened so patiently to 
Mr. Jones's discourse, that I cannot help 
fancying you must have a knowledge of the 
subject — will you therefore allow me to read 
the case ? which perhaps you may be able to 
elucidate." 

Mr. Lynch and myself, to whom this question 
was addressed, nodded assent, and Mr. Jenkins 
commenced. 

CASE. 

" In the month of February, 1826, Edward Jones of 
Penzance agreed to let for thirty-five years to Thomas 
Francis Hawkesly of the same place, at the rent of three 
thousand pounds per annum, all his lead, tin, and other 
mines in the Parish New Giffin, and the agreement 
contained the following clause — ' The said E. Jones will 
within three months from the date hereof scollop, work, 
and wallop all the craturs, mouths, ostiums, or tin mines, 
and skiffingen connected with the said demised premises 
after the manner and custom of the County of Cornwall, 
and fiirther, that he will show a good title to the best of 
his skill to the said premises, &c.' 

'' Mr. Jones has scolloped, but he has not yet walloped 
the premises, and he. contends that he is not bound to 
do both because such is not the custom (see sec. 9. Rot. 
Comub. lib. i. 157). Mr. H. on the other hand says, 



.s*r!«*L.*r* 



■*^ 



£ 1 2 LEG EN DS OF TU E LAKES. 

Mr. J. agreed to wallop according to the ccstoxn, and 
that wallop he miiBl — and that there is no custom -vrhicU 
says that a walloping according to the custom can be 
effected by not walloping at all. As walloping is an 
expensive preliminary operation, it is material to the 
parties to know on whom the expense mnst fidl. Un- 
doubtedly Mr. II. has entered into the mines, but in 
consequence of their not being walloped, he found it too 
hot for him to remain or to allow workmen to be sent in. 
The title may be shortly stated tbus^< In 1748 F. H. 
devised all his mines to G. P. F. for two thousand years, 
and after the determination thereof to the heirs of A. L.. 
in fee. Previously to his death, G. P. F. executed a 
square feoffment to his executor (such being the custom 
here),4ifter which he levied two fines, sur donis de quan« 
tum, by the following description : ten mines, one hundred 
acres of land, one hundred acres of ground, five hundred 
scoUopcasters, five hundred engine misters, five hundred 
snicks, five hundred snickjerys with the appurtenances 
in Penzance ;' he then suffered a recovery, which was 
considered void as a recovery, because the tenant to the 
precipe had lost himself, and was non inventus. The 
executor of G. P. F. died in his lifetime, and made his 
will, devising all his real estates to P. M. in tail male, 
then G. P. F. died, leaving Mr. Jones his heir at law. 
A. L. in 1791 executed a bargain and sale, but he did 
not enroll the same wiUiin the prescribed time^ and 
suffered judgment to go by de&ult in action^ which was 
brought against him. 

** Your opinion is requested on the following questions 
raised by Mr. Hawkesly, a solicitor. 

" 1st. Is Mr. Jones compellable to wallop the mines 
or not? 



THE RETURN. 21 3 

*^ 2nd. If not, must he not allow Mr. Hawkesly's 
workmen the usual customary allowance of swinery and 
rostration ? 

*' 3rd. Was the effect of the square feoffment to create 
a discontinuance at common law, or to vest a mere autre 
vie estate, determinable at the end of the two thousand 
years term ? 

** 4th. Will the two fines work a negative fee simple ? 
and will two terms of one thousand years make a fee 
simple ? and if so, will not one term of two thousand 
years have the like effect ? 

" 5th. Is a snickjery (meaning a twisted firepiggin) an 
incorporeal hereditament so as to pass with the mines ? 

** 6th. Can the void recovery be revived by issuing out 
consistory corpus writ against G. P. F*s. devises T 

** 7tli. If not, is the bargain and sale good according 
to the maxim of Fieri potest fieri mavult quid minis hie 
bujus ? 

'' 8th. Can a good title be made in any shape or way? 

** 9th. If it can, in what manner ? ' 

" Now," continued Mr. Jenkins, " I have 
perused this case carefully over seven times. 
1 have read it backwards as well as forwards 
in order to take an unprejudiced view of it, 
but yet the terms scollop and wallop I cannot 
get satisfactorily defined by any authority >vhich 
I have been able to consult. One thing appears 
probable on the third question raised — that the 
square feoffment must be an Irish or Celtic 
term (although to me it is not very clear), 






214 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

because there are four courts in Ireland. But 
\iliat music is that ?'' 

*^ Surely, it is Gandsey's pipes,'' said Mr. 
Lynch. 

*' Pipes!" repeated Mr. Jenkins, " I never 
heard any thing sweeter in my life. Certainly 
these are not the Irish pipes — the droning Irish 
bagpipe ?" 

Here Gorham entered to know if I should 
wish for Gandsey's company — and, true to his 
word, took the opportunity to inform Mr. Jones 
and Mr. Jenkins that he had made preparations 
for their reception in the bar. Both gentlemen 
at the hint instantly arose ; but I begged them 
to remain, for the wine we had taken just made 
us feel on terms of easy acquaintance ; and I 
should really have regretted the loss of their 
society. As an inducement^ I promised them 
Gandsey and his unrivalled music. 

Gandsey entered, as on a former occasion, 
leaning upon his son. ''Ah, Gandsey," said 
I, *' this was very good of you to come to me, 
especially as it is my last evening in Killarney; 
and here are two gentlemen, who have arrived 
from England, that I want to introduce to 
you." 



THE RETURN. 215 

'^ I thank yoU; sir/' was the modest reply of 
Gandsej, *^ you are very good, sir." 

^^ Here is a glass of wine — but perhaps you 
-would prefer spme whiskey punch T^ 

^^ I drink the wine to your honour's good 
health and long life/' said Gandsey; ''but the 
whiskey punchy sir, if you please, harmonizes 
better with the aaelodies I am going to play, 



shrJ' 



** Waiter, some whiskey punch. — Gandsey, 
I wish much to hear * the Eagle's Whistle/ so 
I think the war march of the O'Donoghue is 
called — ^You can play it of course." 

'^ Without any kind of doubt 1 can do that 
aame/' returned Gandsey. Boy, is your violin 
in tune? there's the note — Week— week — week 
— squeek — that will do. Now, sir — but first, 
if you please, suppose, sir, that I give you, 
because, you see, it is the oldest of the two 
war marches of the O'Donoghue, * the Step 
of the Glens.' " 

(Here Gandsey played the barbarous strain, 
which the reader will find annexed, No. 1.) 

" Oh, 'tis the O'Donoghues were the boys 
that could stir their stumps down the side of 
a mountain," said Gandsey, when he had 



216 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

concluded. *^ And now, sir, here's the Eaglets 
Whistle; that was their other war march, jou 
know. Boy, tune up that note a leetle higher." 
(Here Gandsey played the melody, No. ^2.) 
'* How close is the resemblance,'* remarked 
Mr. Jenkins, " between the Irish add Scotch 
pibrochs. 1 remember "—^ahd he' was abbiit 
to proeeed'with, I have no doubt, some lierai- 
nisceoce or reofiark, which would have adorned 
my projected Guide> Book, and of'> which I 
should iiave monopolized the credit, had not 
Gandsey run his righf hand^ dp the pipe, with 

Tir — Or^-lee^-rcH-tir — a — lee-^ru — Tee— ^boom. 

'^ Come, Gandsey," said I, *^ another tune^ 
if you please — ^but sonething wkh a history, to. 
It. •» 

. << ril give.you,^ sir,'' said Gandsey, ^ the 
hunerftation for ' 'M^les the sthsber,' a real 
ould air of Erin." 

(Here Gandsey played the melody. No. 3.*) 

*'i\nd now,'^ said I, when he had concluded, 
" now for the history." ... 

" Why, you see, sir,"i8aid£raudsey, placing 
the pipes at rest upon his left kn^e^ *^ why, you 
see, sir, Myles the slasher was an O'Reilly '— 



^* 



Vol //. to /her Page ?J6. 



m 



7 



, 



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t 



o 

OB 
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I»i"^w p» 



THE RETURN. 21? 

and if be was, he was like every one of the 
same name, fond of Erin, for she was his 
country. Well, sir, when the bloody Crom- 
wellian wars were going on, you see, Myles 
the slasher headed his clan, and died like a 
brave commander, defeiKJing the bridge of 
Finea, in the County Cavan, against that rob- 
bing and murdering thief of the world, Crom- 
well* 'Twas a fine death he had; and 'tis as 
fine a tune that I've played for you, sir, to 
keep his memory up among the people, as 
clrn be, in my opinion. But if he did die all 
covered with wounds, 'twas on the flat of his 
back that Myles O'Reilly the slasher was 
laid, with a thousand voices after him, in the 
monastical church of Cavan, though 'tis since 
destroyed, to build a horse-barrack ; and these 
were the very words that were carved out over 
him, upon as beautiful a gravestone as could 
be: 

" LECTOR NE CREDA.S SOIUM PERIISSE MILONEM 
HOC KAM SUB TUMULO, PATRIA VICTA JACET*." 



* The pistols of Myles O'Reilly, of large size and 
ancient Spanish inanufacture, are in the museum of 
Trinity College, Dublin^ presented by Mis. Peyton (now 



£18 Ii»90SKBS OF THE UkKES. 



99 



*^ This lamentation pleases me so much, 
said Mr. Jenkins, ^' that I hope Gaodsey can 
&voiir OS with another." 

*^ Oh, lliat I xsoiy sir, iamentations in plenty 
—for sure 'tis little else is left, for green Erin 
or her children, but sorrow and< — '' 

" Whiskey," said Mr. Lynch. 

'^ True,'^ said I, ** as Blackwood calls us in 
his magazine, ' a persecuted and hard drinking 
people.' " 

'^ But the lamentation," said Mr. Jenkins. 

'* 'Tis the widow's lamentation," said Gand- 
sey ; ^ you see her husband, <me Wi&san 

Mrs. Macnamara), tiie aster of the lateixeoige Nugent 
ficgmclds, Esq. of ^he Comity Lettrim; and the powder 
horn of '* Myles the slasher,'^ a huge ox horn polished, 
and with rude brass ornaments, is still in the possession 
of that lady. In the genealogical history of the* house 
of O'Reilly, compiled by the late chevalier O'Gbrman 
(whose MSS. are at present in my custody), for General 
Count Alexander O'Reilly, comnjander in chief of the 
Spanish infantry under Charles III., and second in 
command at the siege of Gibraltar, there is a fiill and 
interesting account of Myles O'Reilly. Since I have 
been led to mention this genealogical history, I may 
as well notice a curious fact connected with it, that 
O'Gorman, whose papers prove him to be an ignorant 
heraldic quack, actually received one thousand guineas 
from Count O'Reilly for this compilation. 



THE REtUBN. 4l9 

Crottie, wa^ banged through the means of 
one Davy Norris, a thi^f of an informer, who 
came round him, and bifttrajed faim. And so 
Mrs. Crottie^ wfaose owik name was Burke, a 
mighty decent woman she was, and come of 
decent people, made up this lamentation about 
her husband." 

Here Gandsey played the ttttlody, No. 4, 
to which he sang the following wordsj 

Oh, William Crottie, your days are ended, 
And your poor wife lies unbefriended, 
-^n a cold jail, where none can come near her; 
Her dearest friends this day won't hear her 1 

Oh, ullagone 1 

But soon I^ll leave this Irish nation, 

And sail away to the great plantation ; 

For let me go among Turks or Heathens, 

I'll meet with more pity than in my own nation. 

Oh, ullagone ! 

Oh, William Crottie, I often told you 
That Davy Norris would come round you ; 
'Twas he that took you, as you lay sleeping. 
And left me here in sorrow weeping! 

Oh, ullagone ! 

Then came the day of sad repentance. 
When William Crottie received his sentence ; 
The drums they did beat, and most moumftilly sounded , 
And my poor senses were at once confounded. 

Oh, ullagone 1 



220 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

I bear great blame from all these women. 
Yet III nerer forsake my dear companion; 
When first I knew him he was no Toiy, 
But now he*s gone there's an end to my gloiy ! 

Oh, ulU^otie ! 

Adieu, ye hills, and adieu, ye mountains. 
Adieu to Glanworth's crystal fountains. 
Where often I waited for Crottie, my dariing. 
To bring me home both gold and starling ! 

Oh, uli^cme ! 

'* And now, Gandsey,*' said I, *' mix yourself 
another tumbler of punch, and then let these 
gentlemen hear an Irish melody with something 
more of sentiment in it, than the singular strains 
you have already played. Suppose some ditty 
which an unfortunate lover might sing to the 
mistress by whom he was neglected and aban- 
doned. You have an air of this description 
I doubt not, Gandsey ; for such heart-breaking 
affairs must have happened in Ireland as well 
as elsewhere.'* 

*' Oh, plenty of them, sir," said Gandsey; 
and he immediately commenced the melody^ 
No. 5. 

" Yes, that is Irish — true Irish," said Mr. 
Jenkins ; ^* how exquisitely the violin accom- 
paniment harmonizes with the pipes. Pray, 
whose arrangement is that?" 



THE RETURN. 221 

*' *Twas I, sir/' replied Gandsey, "just fixed 
it out for boy to learn." 

** Have you any words to this melody ?" 
inquired Mr. Lynch. 

** None, sir," said Gandsey, "though they're 
much wanting to it; but I have some words 
of own making too, which Til singy with the 
greatest pleasure in life, to the air of ^ Bob and 
Joan.' Come, boy, scrape away." 

To Killamey vre will go, 

And see fair nature's beauties, 
The mountains tipped with snow, 

And covered with arbutus. . 
Oh, then, to hear at night, 

At Gorham's, how entrancing, 
Old Gandsey play his pipes. 
Which set the maids a dancing ! 
Tow, row, row, row, row, 

ToW, row, row, row, reddy. 
Tow, row, row, row, row. 
Can't you just walk steady ? 

Gandsey, to promote 

Harmonious tunes so jolly, 
Strikes up a favourite note 

To banish melancholy. 
He lilts it up in style. 

Upon his pipes so merry, 
The gravest faces smile 

To hear his Paddy Carey. 

Tow, row, row, row, row, &c. 



2!2>2 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

He plays Kitty from Adilone, 

And Maureen dee na Glenna, 
And Noreen on the road, % 

With the flashy rakes of Mallow ; 
Attghrim OFerthrown, 

The &11 of Condon's castle, 
Cornelius Lord Mayo, 

Who was the boy to wrestle. 

Tow, row, row, row, row, &c- 

Hell give Jackson's Morning brush 

And Billy Joy the joker, 
With the famous Kouth Polthogue, 

Described by Crofton Croker ; 
The ball of Ballina&d, 

The song of Bannah Lannah, 
Plounkum Moll in the Wadd, 

And Shaune.O'Dwyr na Glenna. 

Tow, row, row, row, row, &<;• 

On the lakes when we do go, 

We'll have a boat and whiskey, 
With men and oars to row. 

Their hearts both light and frisky; 
A dinner we'll provide. 

We shall have full and plenty, 
Two hampers stuff*d and tied. 

And wine enough for twenty. 

Tow, row, row, row, row, &c. 

Through Turk Lake we will pass 
Straight up to Dinis Island, 

There we'll dine upon the grass. 
And drink like Captain Ryland. 



THE RETURN. €23 

" Home sweet home ** ITl play, 

Then our boat will sail across ^ir, 
An^ take the shortest way 

To bring us back to Ross^ sir. 

Tow, row, row, row, row, &c. 

Now our excursion o'er, 

At Gorham*s what a pleasure, 
To fill the glass once more. 

And drink beyond all measure. 
Tis that's the way to see 

The lakes of neat Killarney, 
So don't be doubting me. 

For I never was at Blarney. 

Tow, row, row, row, row, &c. 

" Well sung, Gancfsey. Here, mix yourself 
another fumbler of tunch — tumbler of punch 
I mean,^' said Mr. Jones ; " Irish whiskey is 
good — Irish songs are good — Irish music is 
good — Irishmen are fine fellows — 'tis a tine 
a country " — hiccup — " a fine country." 

" 'Tis true for you, sir," said Gandsey, '' very 
true for you.'' And here^ although I am per- 
fectly unable to account for the fact, my recol- 
lection of what followed completely fails me. 



224 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 



CHAP. XIL 



THE DEPARTURE. 



A WEATHERCOCK IS the usual appendage to 
most church-steeples in Ireland, but this, the 
steeple of tLe church at Killamey does not 
possess. Yet, if it does not boast a weather- 
cock glittering on its apex, a weatherfisb may 
there be seen — a noble salmon, looking as if it 
had just made a spring out of the lake. And 
now the nose of the aforesaid salmon is pointing 
due east, as much as to saj — '' I promise you 
a fine day for your journey to Cork, and I wish 
you a very pleasant bit of a jolting.'' 

Vastly polite, indeed for a salmon; but pray. 
Mister Fish, how do you know I am going to 
Cork? Well, it's not much matter; since you 
do know it, there is little use denying the fact, 
and I have therefore only to return you my 
very sincere thanks, and make you my very 
best bow for your promise of fine weather — 
and hark — Boo — 6o5— ^ boo — mod — he — here 
comes the coach from Tralee, and there is my 
friend Mat Crowley singing his everlasting 



-r»" 



THE DEPARTURE. 225 




Riley, really, you're the boy, Riley. 

** Halloo — halloo — is my bill ready? Are 
my traps in the hall f Is my boat cloak there i 
— >^here is my sketching seat f " 

*' Go long wid you/* said Doolan, who was 
standing in the hall ; '^ go long wid you, will 
you, and be after bringing the gentleman's 
'ketching sate,^^ 

"You shall have the bill directly, sare," 
said Gorham; ** Dan, finish the hpnourable 
gentleman's account — sketch it out neatly, 
Dan, and bring it here — pshaw, Dan, what's 
keeping you ?" 

*' The bill, sir.'* 

"Very moderate, indeed — Hum — waiter — 
chambermaid — Hem — Boots — Hum — Here's 
your money, Gorham." 

^* 1 hope, sare — thank you, sare — that, sare, 
every thing was made comfortable — and a 
pleasant journey — much obliged, sare — (aside) 
why then, Dan, sure enough, as I said the v^ry 
first day I saw him, he's a neat little fellow, 
and a rare sketcher.'^ 

VOL. IT. Q 



226 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

^< Here's the sketching seat,*' said a waiter 
tp Doolan. 

'< There, put it down along witli his honour- 
able honour's other things — there — ^and sure,' 
continued Doolan, ^< the best resate of all for 
not catching couldy when quality goes out 
taking off the views here and there about the. 
lakes, is for them never to sit down upon the 
wet grass/' 

<^ I wonder what detains Mr. Ljnch," said 
I, ^' really it is very odd. Waiter, be so good as 
to send some one to Mr. Lynch's cottage to 
let him know that 1 am just going, and wish 
to see him." 

'^ Yes, sir, but he will hardly be here in time 
as the horses are just putting to." 

'^What, the horses putting to? Secure the 
box seat for me, if you can." 

Boo — boo — boo — mod — he — ^^ The coach is 
just going, sir." 

^' Your honour won't forget the waiter," 

^' Something for the chambermaid, sir." 

" Long life to your honour! Sure you won't 
be after forgetting poor Boots, that does the 
work for them all." 

'* Please to remimber the packer." 



THE DEPARTURE. 227 

'^ My good people, I have arranged all your 
demands with Mr. Gorham/' 

« Och, never mind him, sir,— 'tis I that 
always packs the jontleman^s portmantles — 
your honour may ax Mr. Powell there, and 
sure he'll tell you the same." 

** Hurrah for Florry — ^here I am — ^your 
honour will throw a trifle to poor Florry, for 
the sake of Kerry — Hurrah !" 

^ Get out of the way, will you, till I see his 
honour. Sure heMl be after taking the widow's 
blessing along fi^iJ him." 

** I'm just over it, sir, God help me, I'm 
subject to the falling sickness, and haven't a 
halfpenny to buy me bit or sup, or a mortal 
to look after me." 

" 'Tisn't going your lordship is away from 
us, without leaving something among us." 

Boo — boo — boo — mod — he, sounds the horn, 
die crowd shout, and the coach whirls off. 
The Main Street is left behind, and we rattle 
once more over the paving stones of Hen 
Street; bid farewell to the foul Fair hill, dash 
by the park, and pause for the last time on the 
bridge of Ballycasheen. 

*^ Riley, stop the coach can't you ;" roars a 



- -- -- - 



£28 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

bare-legged boy, at tbe same time running full 
speed from the Lower or Woodlawn road which 
joins the coach road near Ballycasheen — ^the 
driver pulls up, and inquires — ^* Well, what do 
you want, ma boughillf* 

" Would therg be a Utile jontleman on the 
coach ?" said he, panting for breath. 

** Doubtless 1 am the person — what's the 
matter ?" 

" Here's a parcel and a letter for your 
honour from one Mr. Lynch — oh dear, how 
I've run." 

" Very well, it's quite right — ^here's sixpence 
for you, my lad — Riley put this parcel in the 
coach pocket — and now let me see what 
Lynch has to say for himself — ^his letter ap- 
pears long enough at all events." 

'' MY GOOD FELLOW, Garden Cottage. 

** I DOUBT not you were much surprised, 
and, perhaps, not a little displeased in conse- 
quence of my non-appearance at the inn this 
morning after the promise I had made ; but I 
trust surprise and displeasure will alike vanish, 
when you find that I have been devoting my- 
self to your service. 



THE DEPARTURE. 229 

'' You have already flattered me by approving 
of some fairy tales which I picked up in the 
course of my summer rambles among the 
mountains ; I mean Florry Cantilion^s funeral, 
Diarmid Bawn, and one or two others which 
appear in the second volume of your Fairy 
LiCgends. 

<< Revelling in all the luxury, as the misery 
of half pay idleness is styled, the idea that I 
might please by my pen others as well' as 
myself, broke in upon my mind like a new 
light, and I determined to make a few notes of 
the tales which I heard, and of what was daily 
passing around me. This, although my own 
amusement and employment were the first 
objects, was certainly done with some vague 
idea of ultimate publication. But when you 
mentioned an intention of writing a Legendary 
Guide Book to the Lakes^ 1 instantly deter- 
mined to resign all my notes and papers into 
your hands, and have been occupied in ar- 
ranging my collections for your acceptance. 

'^ Receive them, therefore, and use them as 
you will, but there is one subject on which I 
would warn you, and that is, if you take it into 
your head, as you hinted, to introduce the good 



230 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

gentry, as well as ' the good people ' of KiU 
larnej^ or to priot the little anecdotes respecting 
them picked up during jour visit; you most 
bear the whole burden on your own shoulders, 
for I have neither cause nor inclination to fall 
out with any of the worthy inhabitants of the 
kingdom of Kerry, ' where the cows are little, 
and the hills are big/ In addition to these 
notes, many of which I fear you will scarcely 
be able to decipher, I send you some verses, 
and a poem of considerable length iu the 
Spenserian stanza, called Sir Ronayne of the 
Lakes, which I also place entirely at your dis- 
posal. 

** ^gain I say, make whatever use you please 
of my packet, and wishing you an agreeable 
journey, and all possible happiness, 
I subscribe myself 

most faithfully yours, 

R. Adolphus Lynch. 

*' P. S. I enclose you a Killarney bank note, 
to prevent the possibility of any pecuniary 
embarrassment on the road/* 



£32 LEGENDS OF THE TAKES. 

Bat bark !— ,B5a — Ko — 655 — ^ir55 — he and 
DOW we ascend the bill which leads to the 
first turnpike gate from Killamej, and as we 
dash throngby I tuni to take a last lingering 
look at the Lake of Desai<»d — a little further 
and all is lost, save the tops of its majestic 
mountains. 



^ Farewell sweet scenes ! penshre once more I turn 
Those pointed hills and wood-fringed lakes to view 
With fond regret; while, in this last adien, 
A silent tear those brilliant hours shall moom 
For erer past. So from the pleasant shore. 

Borne with the straggling bark against the wind 
The trembling pennant fluttering looks behind 
With vain reluctance ! 'Mid those woods no more 
For me the voice of pleasure shall resound. 
Nor soft flutes warbling o'er the placid lake 
Aerial music, shall for me awake. 
And wrap my charmed soul in peace profound ! 
Though lost to me, here still may Taste delight 
To dwell, nor the rude axe the trembling dryads fright. 



*> 



Such was the farewell to Killamey, breathed 
almost with her last sigh by Mrs. Tighe, the 
beloved and lamented authoress of Psyche. 

'^ Make whatever use you please of mj 
packet/' says Mr. Lynch. Well^ I have done 



THE DEPARTURE. £33 

SO ; yet, excepting a few slight editorial cor- 
rections and additions, his packet is printed 
pretty nearly as I received it. As to quizzing, 
I am quite ready to bear the brunt, although 
I fear on that score I shall have my friend 
Lynch himself on my shoulders; and speaking 
on this point, it is only an act of candour 
towards that gentleman, to give him full power 
to claim (should he have any wish to do so) as 
his compositions, and his alone, all the unac- 
knowledged rhymes which appear in these 
volumes, with the exception- of the snatches 
of popular song occasionally introduced. 

It has latterly been, and with some justice, 
the custom to deprecate the growing taste for 
what Mr. Hood calls '' an improper use of 
proper names." For example, within the last 

thirty years Mr. became Mr. A. 

Mr. A. took the astronomical appearance of 
Mr. A******g with an occasional variety as 
Mr. Ab*rw**g, till at length the mysterious 
cognomen of Aberwang stood fearlessly re-- 
vealed to the public gaze. The latter undis- 
guised method of writing names as they are 
intended to be read, instead of obscurely hinting 
at them, has always appeared to me the most 



£34 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

manlike, as well as the most agreeable, and I 

ha^e therefore adopted it; although no one 

could deplore more than I should do, thus 

subjecting myself to the charge of personality. 

These little volumes were intended only %o 

amuse ; and it would be indeed perverting the 

purpose for which they were written, if any 

misconstruction on the part of the reader could 

attribute other motives to the compiler. Those 

to whom I am known will readily, I feel con* 

vinced, forgive the introduction of their names, 

and acquit me of any thing like intentional 

offence. While those to whom I am a strainer 

will, I trust, regard these volumes with the 

indulgence which is due to a merejeu d^esprit* 

And now, seriously speaking, it is full time that 

I should acknowledge the many obligations I 

am under. My visit to Killarney was too 

short, and too hurried, to admit of any thing 

beyond a few blotted notes and random 

sketches. I have, therefore, as is obvious from 

almost every page, mainly derived assistance 

from an old schoolfellow, Mr. Lynch, who 

has been for some years a resident there. Mr, 

J. H. Bradshaw, with his usual kindness, fur- 

nished me, from his valuable Irish library, with 



THE DKPARTDBE. 235 

the manuscript tour of a distinguished architect, 
^'hicfa has afforded me some pictorial hints; 
and to Lucius O'Brien, Esq., M. P. I am 
indebted for a most amusing journal of his 
visit to the lakes. The materials thus obtained, 
I have appropriated without further acknow- 
ledgment, in the manner which best suited 
my purpose, or my fancy. 



Since the first volume was in print, Mr. 
Lynch has written to acknowledge some proof 
sheets which I sent him ; and an extract from 
bis letter, as all good works should conclude 
with a moral, will aptly illustrate the muta- 
bility of human affairs at Killarney. 

'^ I am glad to find that the Legendary Guide 
Book, or rather, as you style it, * an apology 
for one,^ is in the press. Do not forget to put 
a copy in your ' portmantle' if you should per- 
form your promise of a visit next year. When 
you come, you will find a few alterations ; for 
instance, your humble servant no longer in- 
habits Garden Cottage. Your friend Mountain 
Mahony has resigned his public employment, 
and has entered into the private service of 
Mister Bob Shughure, who styles himself < Sta- 



236 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

tioner, Replevinger, and Magistrate's Clerk.' 
Ohy that you could bear him^ on a court day, 
enlightening the magistrates with regard to an 
information, the preamble to which be twangs 
through his nose, with a most mellifluous 
brogue, as thus — ' Sir, this ish an informashun 
for assault, and batter-ry, and mishdemanor, 
and showeth that whereas Michael, commonly 
called Mick Mulcahy, alias Saint Michael, alias 
Finnegan, alias the Bulgar, did mosht vilently 
asshault, bate, bruise, batter, and otherwise ill 
use, abuse, and maltrate with bis clinched 
fisht, &c. &c.' 

'^ In the few proof pages which you have 
sent me, I find rather an unjustifiable use of 
my name, but I forgive you on condition of 
your never again laughing at my verses. My 
namesake, GeofFry Lyncli, I perceive you have 
mentioned. I think you might as well have 
left that anecdote out ; for I assure you he is a 
worthy young fellow, of unexceptionable cha- 
racter, and his being blackbeaned at the club 
could only, as I am happy to see you state, be 
occasioned by party business. You have also 
alluded to Doctors Murphy and Mayb^rry, 
both very worthy men. Doctor Murphy, I 
am sorry to inform you^ is since de^d, to the 



THE DEPARTUBE. 237 

great loss not only of his o\vn family, but of 
tbe whole county. 

<< Turner, the Scotch steward, has turned 
himself out of Mucruss, and Picket is gone to 
the Brazils — for the rest, some of our story 
tellers have departed this life. Poor old Molly 
amongst others is gone. She had a wake, at 
which no less than three girls, besides her 
daughter Norah, got husbands, and was buried 
at Aghadoe, followed by three baronies, where 
a neat tombstone has been put up to her 
memory. Doolan, however, still stands his 
ground, and always inquires after your honour, 
is just as ready to give visiters a touch of the 
marvellous ; and there are still enough left to 
show the truth of the descriptions in your 
Legendary Guide. 

'^ If you come again among us, let it be, I 
entreat, at the race time, as you will then be 
sure of a stag hunt. I believe the races are to 
commence about the latter end of next July. 
By the by, you say such pretty things touching 
my rough notes and the papers I put into your 
hands, that I really have an idea of appearing 
before the world in the character of an author 
next year; I do not mean as author of a quarto 
poem on Derrycunnihy Waterfall, according to 



£38 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

yoar soggestioD, bot — ^i'il leave yoa in saspense 
until either I beat up your quarters or you 
mine.'' 

** P. S. I enclose you the pamphlet which 
you requested me to procure*. 

* Of this pamphlet I am induced to copy the title 
page and piefece, as illustrative of some aUusioos to the 
case of Maiy Mindian, which occur at p. 71, of diis 
Tolume. 

THE 

Btformation and Persecution 

OF A T0U9G WOMAS NAMED 

MART HOTSIHAHy 

OF KILLASHET9 

• Who renounced the Errors of the Roman Catholic Church, 
and became a Protestant in December^ 1826. 

TOGETHER WITH 
THE STATEMENT GIVEN BY THE MAGISTRATES^ 

As the Result of their Inquiry into the Circumstances of 
the Persecution of this young Woman; 

AND ALSO 
THE DEPOSITIONS TAKEN BEFORE THE BENCH^ 

Whichcontainafaithfid Epitome of the entire Transactions, 

" MAGNA EST VERITAS ET PREVALEBIT.** 
KILLARNEY Ist APRIL, 1826. 



PREFACE. 

The Publisher is induced, at the desire of many of his 
friends, to lay before the Public, in the shape of a pam- 
phlet, the etUire statements and letters to which the 



THE DEPARTURE. 239 

We stop the press, as the newspaper phrase 
runs, to announce the receipt of the following 
letter— did ever letter come so opportunely i 

" SIR, 

" It is with enthusiastic pleasure I received 
the letter directed to me from London; Mr. 

J I ■■ --■-■- 1 , , ^ ^ 

reformation and persecution of Mary Moynihan, of 
Killarney , gave rise, conscious that even a cursory perusal 
of them v^ill be sufficient to convince the most sceptical 
of the truth of the following facts : 

First. — ^That Mary Moynihan's conversion was caused 
solely by a conviction of the errors of popery, produced 
by the reading of the sacred Scriptures. 

Secondly. — ^That she was persecuted publicly and 
privately by her family, her priest, and by others, in 
consequence thereof; and that the house in which she 
resides was annoyed by the priest, who repeatedly 
threatened to drag her out by force. 

Thirdly. — That the statement put forward by the 
bench of magistrates, as the result of their inquiry, wa^ 
.not a faithful detail of the evidence of the eight witnesses 
who were examined. 

And lastly. — ^That the evidence fully rebuts the un- 
kind aspersions which the magistrates thought fit to fling 
at the character of Mr. Mag rath. 

The Publisher now respecifully brings the partial 
statement of that respectable bench (composed of eleven 
Roman Catholics and one Protestant !), together v^ith all 
the other documents connected with it before the tribunal 
of " Public Opinion." 

" Spectemur Agendo." 



240 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

Gorham sent it to me to Lord Headlej's, near 
Killarnej, which wheD I received, I gave it to 
his lordship to open for his amusement. He 
was greatly surprised to find in it a piece of 
music of so ancient a date. He caused the 
boy to bring his violin and play it for him, 
which he much approved of. He is one of 
the best judges of the day ; and, you may 
depend on it, sir, I would never have attained 
my meridian but for his superior dictation to 
me. When I told his loFdship about you, he 
brought down the Fairy Legends to have it 
read for me. I am somewhat jealous you did 
not afford me some conspicuous place in that 
very amusing and romantic work, as you did 
to Tim Carroll ; for to hear my 

Fox and hounds, with Judy Joyce the joker, 

And famous jig Palthough, described by Crofton Croker, 

would have been a flattering and heartfelt 
honour^ besides being the only man of my 
profession distinguished in this neighbourhood. 
I enclose you an old tune, which was O'Dono- 
ghue's lamentation for the loss of his privileges, 
when the penal code was put in force against 
the Irish. I have three or four hundred of 
those beautiful old melodies, never got hold 



. THB. DEPARTURE. 241* 

«f hy Moore, Stephenson, or. Bunting, once 
played by the harp of Erin, now slumbering itf 
the dust. Now as you are sometimes among 
the nausical society of London, a thought' struck 
Bie^ sir, that you might make oiF with those by 
way of .publication, or by depositing them in 
the museum, among the antiquities for future 
inspection, as they are all from Carolan, the 
ancient and celebrated Irish bard and musician. 
It is a pity they should be lost, if any thing 
could be done vO preserve them. If you en- 
courage me, I will contrive to have them sent 
to you by the assistance of the said nobleman, 
who is a friend to science. He is decidedly 
the best man for this part of the south of 
Ireland, that was ever remembered to come 
into it ; as the book says of O* Sullivan — Nulla 
manus . tarn liberalis, atque generalis, atqu^ 
universales, quam Headlialis. 

** I should like to hear from you, sir, when 
time allows you. to make arrangements. So 
no more at present from your 

Very humble servant, 
James Gandsey, 

Lord Hec^U^s Piper k^* ■ 
VOL. 11. R 



M2 LEGENDS OF THE LAKES. 

<< P. S. Pat O'Kelly, the poet, sir, desires 
his respectfiil compliments/' 

*' Ah, that P. S. on the envelope looks like 
the Gorham*8 writing — but who Pat O^Kellj 
is I know not — Billy the mule, Doolan's friend, 
I remember perfectly — but O'Kelly — Yes, I 
recollect now — it must be the same who greeted 
Sir Walter Scott on his arrival with the fol- 
lowing: 

" Three poets, of three different nations bom. 
With works immortal, do this age adorn ;* 
Bypon, of England — Scott, of Scotia's blood — 
And, Erin's pride, O'Kelly, great and good. 
Twould take a Byron and a Scott, I tell ye, 
RoU'd up in one, to make a Pat O'Kelly/' 

Kind and indulgent reader, methinks I hear 
you exclaim, ^ What is all thb chapter about ? 
Here is a rigmarole of a preface, and in the last 
chapter of the last volume — how odd !'* — And 
pray where else should it be ? Most people^ 
it must be acknowledged, commence their book 
with a preface, which nine readers out of ten, 
ay, ninety-nine out of a hundred, are sure to 
skip. I have, therefore, taken this method to 
surprise ydu into the perusal ; besides, I think 



ju -^ J •^ssaesmesm 



THE DEPARTURE. 243 

J can show that my preface is where it ought 
to be ; for if you act as most readers do, that is, 
begin the book at the end, and read backwards, 
I think you will find the preface in its right 
place. 

So making now our final bow, 

And checking all our blarney, 
We* II bid adieu, good folks, to you, 

And likeioise to Killamey. 
Then if your eye aU wearied out 

With reading troth of mine is. 
Content yourself— no morels to come, 

For here, you see, is 



FINIS, 



.-'■^'' 



TOPOGRAPHICAL INDEX. 



Aghadoe, i. 15. 162. ii. 141. 
Ahahunnig Glen, ii. 122. 
-Abahunnig River, i. 2. 
Alexander's Rock, i. 67. 
Arbutus Island, i. 58. 193. 
' Ardagh Lough, ii. 143. 
Ardfert, ii; 92. 
-Ash Island, i. 67. 

Ballycasheen, i. 2. ii. 130. 
227. 

Ballydowny, i. 15. 

Ballyheigh, ii. 92. 

Beaufort, i. 167. 177. 

Bed of Honour, i. 70. 

Belleyue,i. 15. 47. 152. 

Blennerville, ii. 92. 

Bran Loch, vide Rillbran. 

Brandon, Lord, his De- 
mesne, i. 185. 187. ii. 6. 

Brandon Hill, ii. 92. 

Brickeen Bridge, i. 64. 238. 

Brickeen Island, i. 64. 231. 

Brown Island, i. 70. ii. 141. 

Cahir-Con-righ, ii. 92. 
Cahimane, i. 67. 109. ii. 141. 
Cannon and Cannon Balls, 

i. 211. 
CarriLn TuM, i. 178. 
•Carrig a Fourt, i. 67. 74. 

189. 
Carrig a Hocka, i. 67. 
Castie Lough, i. 67. 110. ii. 

141. 
-Castlemain Mountains, ii. 
141.- 



Cherry Island, i. 47. 
Claunteens, ii. 55. 111. 
Cloughereen,i.ll0.ii.2.23. 
Clough na Cuddy, i. 18. 20. 
Club House, Killarney, i. 

9.93. 
Clydagh River, ii. 177. 
Coffin Point, i. 210. 
Coleman's Eye, i. 210. 
Coltsman's Castle, i. 4. 109. 

ii. 121. 
Corrigmalvin, i. 153. 
Courtayne's Folly, i, 5. 
Cowm Duve, i. 186. 
Cowm na Coppul, ii. 8. 22. 

149. 
Crohane, ii. 150. 198. 
CromiglauD, i. 31. 200. 

Dane's Fort, i. 110. 
Darby's Garden, i. 69. 
Derrycunnihy, i. 194. 
Derrycunnihy Waterfall, i. 

196. 
Devil's Island, i. 231. 235. 
Devil's Punch Bowl, i. 29. 

145. ii. 5. 149. 
Dinah River, i. 14. ii. 103. 
Dingle, ii. 168. 
Dingle Mountains, i. 138. 
Dinis Island, i. 220. 231. 
Dinis Pool, i. 220. ii. 46. 
Doolagh, i. 236. 
Drake's Bolster, i. 121. 
Droumhall, i. 109. 
Droumhoomper Castle, i. 3. 
Droumirourk, i. 110. 



246 



TOPOGRAPHICAL INDEX. 



Druidical Circle, ii. 130. 
Bundag Bay, I 231. 235. 
Dunloh Castle, i. 177. 
Dunloh Gap, i. 17d. 

Eagle's Island,!. 193. 
Eagle's Nest, i. 31. 212.231. 

il. 46. 141. 
Esknamacky Glen, i. 204. 
Eye of the Needle, i. 60, 

Fair Hill, i. 6. 

Falvey, Mrs,, her Free- 
holds, ii. 102. 

Farm XiOdge, ii. 106.. 

Flesk Cottage, i. 109. 

Flesk Priory, i. 109. 

Flesk Riyer, i. 3, 67. 109. 
ii. 160. 177. 

Flesk Road, i. 109. ii. 62. 

Fussa Chapel, i. 157. 

Galway River, i. 195. 204. 
Garden Cottage, i. 95. ii, 80. 

235. 
Gheran Tqel, i. 178. 
Giant's Coffin, i. 193. 
Glanflesk, i. 112. ii. 121. 

159. 167, 198. 
Gleni Mountain, i. 31. 110. 

170. 220.231.244. ii. 141. 
Glenlt Bay, i. 63. 220. ii. 51, 

52, 53. 
Gleni Cottage, i. 63. 220. 
Glen of the Horse, see 

Cowm na Coppul. 
Gleun a Heelah, ii. 105. 

117. 
Green Hills, 1. 134. 231. 
Grenagb, i. 166. ii. 141. 
Gun Rock, i. 64. 

Heading, i. 194. 199. 
Hen and Chickens, i. 65. 
Hyde!s Cottage, i, 194. 



Inch House, ii. 177. 
Innisfallen Island, L 51. 68, 

ii 51, 52. 141. 
Irrelagh Abbey, i. 123. 

Kenmare, the Earl of, his 

House, i. 30. 
Kenmare, the Earl of, his 

Park, see Park. 
Kenmare River, ii. 6. 
Kenmare, Road to, i. 138. 

ii. 160. 
Kerry Head, ii. 92. 
Kilcummin Church, ii. 108. 
Killagy, ii. 140. 
Killaha Castle, ii. 160. 202. 
Killarney, Town of, i. 11. 

u. 7. 42. 58. 60. 134, 224. 
Killbran, Lake of, ii. 105. 

107. 
Kippoch, ii. 151. 
Kittane Loch, ii. 121. 140. 

149. 156, 
Knockanes, ii. 91. 
Knockeen J)ubh, ii, 55. 
Knockreafi i* 15. 

Labig Owen, ii. 159. 170. 
Lakefield, i. 166. ii. 141. 
Laun River, i. 166. 
Lochaune Bower, i. 157. 
Lochawn Sloch, i. 238. 
Long Range, i. 212. 
Looha River, ii. 177. 
Lough na Brach Barrig, i. 

135. 237. 
Lower Lake, i. 238. ii. 140, 

Mac Carty's Island, i. 193. 
MacgilUcuddy's Reeks, i. 

31, 167. ii. 141. 
Macroom, Road to, ii. 160. 
Mangerton, i. 31. 109. 138. 

231. ii. 1.23. 121.149.150. 
Man of War, i. 211. 






'TOPOGRAPHICAL INDEX. 247 

Mieniska, i. 166. ii. 141. Prospect Hall, i. 47. 162. 

Minister's Back, i. 68. 82. Purple Mountain, i. 178. 
Molly Soke's Cross, i. 162. 

Mouse Island, i. 61. Rabbit Island, i. 70. 

Mucruss Abbey, i. 110. Reen Cottage, i. 47. 71. 

Mncruss House, i. 67. Ronayne's Island, i. 190. 

Mucruss Mine, i. 236. ii. Ross Castle,i. 42. 100.244% 

209. ' Ross Island, i. 41. 45. 47. 

Mucruss Road, i. 30. ii. 141. 

Mucruss Shore, i. 66. 236. Ross Mine, i. 67. 136. 243. 

Mucruss Peninsula, i. 231 . ii. 209. 

237. 244. ii. 141. 200. Ross Road, i. 31. 

Round of Beef, i. 211. 

Newfoundland Bay, i. 200. Rough island, i. 66. 

Russ Bourky, i. 201. 

Oak Island, i. 201. Ruscru, ii. 198. 
O'Donoghue's Broom, i. 66. 

O'Donoghue's Horse, i. 66. Slieve Mish, ii. 92. 

O'Donoghue's Library, i. Sgarrive a Kuilleen, i. 169. 

47. Skeheen-a-Vibo, i. 1 1 6 . 

O'Donoghue's Pigeon Stag Island, i. 68. 

House, i. 47. Strap an' Gad, i. 200. 

O'Donoghue's Prison, i. Sugar Island, i. 67. 

49. Sunday's Well, i. 80. 
O'Donoghue's Table, i. 66. 

O'Donoghue's Wine Cel- Tiemabowl, ii. 121. 

lar, i. 234. 236. Toomies Mountain, i. 31* ' 

Old Weir Bridge, i. 220. ii. 62. 167. 178. 

46. 61. Tralee, ii. 92. 

O'SuUivan's Cascade, i. 62. Tralee Bay, ii. 91. 

O'SuUiyan's Punch Bowl, Tralee Mountains,!!. 7. 141 » 

i. 63. Tralee Spa, i. 222. 

Tullig,ii. 116. 

Paddy Clane's Leap, i. 217. TuUig Spa, ii. 105. 119. 

Paps, ii. 122. Turk Cottage, i. 231. 235. 

Park House, i. 30. ii. 104. Turk Lake, i. 231. 238. 

Park, the^ ii. 103. Turk Mountain, i. 31. 109» 

Philadown,ii.l68.160.170. 138.231. ii. 141. 

PhilaquUla Point, i. 61. 67. Turk Waterfall, i. 134. 139. 

168. 

Plummer's, Miss, Island^ i. Violet Hill, i. 109. 

219. ii. 137. 

Poul an Iffrin, i. 141. West Demesne, i. 16. 17. 47» 

Prison Lodge^ i. 96. Woodlawn, i. 109. ii. 63. 



ERRATUM. 

VOL. II. 
Page 157, line 22, for lights, read light. 



' 



DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER. 

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